


In Shining Armor

by YadonushiRyou



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Angstshipping - Freeform, Gen, M/M, knights and dragons bro, thats all we need, yugioh dm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:48:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 53,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22314295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YadonushiRyou/pseuds/YadonushiRyou
Summary: A medieval AU in which Ryou is a peasant who dreams of being a knight. As a self-taught skilled wielder of swords, he manages to impress the king, as well as a strapping young nobleman named Malik, and is placed on a very important task for the kingdom. Secrets rise to the surface, and chaos ensues when a dark entity is unleashed, leaving it up to Ryou to save the kingdom, even if they've suddenly turned against him.
Relationships: Bakura Ryou/Marik Ishtar
Comments: 12
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> yes im starting another multi chapter fic and no u cant stop me
> 
> Please note that, while I'm attempting to be as historically accurate as I can, this is a fanfiction and some magical alternate universe rules may apply in order to make it more fun and interesting :-) pls dont quote me on medieval history
> 
> anyways i hope you enjoy this one! It's been on my mind for a very long time and I'm very excited to share it with you!

The sun was high in the bright blue sky, radiating a pleasant warmth on the earth below. It was quiet in the kingdom, for it was nearing the end of the work day. Animals were being herded back from the fields and put back into the stables for the evening, artisans and merchants were making their last few sales, and lords and nobles were making their final rounds around town, counting their properties and checking to see how things were doing on the side of the commoner.

Ryou despised all of it. He’d taken an apprentice job at the blacksmith, hoping to please the requests of his father, but all he got out of it was a lousy boss. He had yet to pick up a hammer or go near the heat. The only thing he’d been doing for years now is fetch the swords and daggers when requested. He was miserable. Especially seeing all the lords, nobles, and soldiers coming to pick up their weapons. More than anything, Ryou wanted to be on the other side of that counter.

It took too long to close, though, and the lords never moved fast enough. That’s why he hated closing hours. Time was valuable to Ryou, and he wanted to stay on schedule for his practicing. There was only a small window between closing and dinner time with his father, and he wanted to take in every bit of it that he could.

“Alright. Close up the shop and be here tomorrow.”

Ryou, who was leaning over the counter, daydreaming about leaving, perked up and gave a nod to the blacksmith. Without a word, he quickly put the swords in their assigned storage and shut the front counter panels. Cautiously, he snuck around the back and passed by the blacksmith, giving him a polite smile and waving. “Bye. See you tomorrow, then.” As the older man grunted, Ryou slipped out the back door and began running once it shut, hiding him and the stolen sword as he sprinted on a routine path.

He was grinning, holding the handle of the sword up to his face to study it. He’d had his eye on this one ever since the blacksmith began to make it. The handle was thin, decorated with an ornamental metal piece that wrapped around the grip. The pommel (the top of the sword) was pointed, decorated with delicate metal, giving it an almost sinister appearance. It emanated the gothic style, Ryou’s favorite design, and he couldn’t wait to take the entire sword out of its plain brown scabbard. He guessed it must have been commissioned by a priest, for it wasn’t as thick or deadly looking as most of the other swords were. Every day he stole a different sword, but would always have to give it back, for he wasn’t sure about their status. Not this one. He chose it not only because of the way it looked, but because he was sure the priest must have forgotten about it or maybe even died. It had been sitting in the same place for weeks, begging to be held--To be owned. A priest would never use it the way it should be used, and Ryou thought it a shame that it might have to live its life sitting upon a shelf. That is, until today.

Ryou slowed his pace when he was far enough from other homes and farms, and began to head toward his own. Though, he wouldn’t be going home just yet. Tonight was especially important. About a year ago, buzz around town revealed that a knight tournament would be held, and all eligible young men would be competing for a chance to be a knight. Or at least, a soldier to later become a knight. Ryou waited for this tournament for a long time, longer than when he’d heard word of it. He had been to every single tournament in his lifetime, and they only happen every few years. To be a knight on a beautiful white horse, holding his sword high in the air as the town cheered him on…. That was his dream. That was all Ryou wanted to do.

Ryou wasn’t delusional, though. Peasants, under no circumstances, could become knights. Tainting the title like that would be seen as a crime. One, perhaps, punishable by prison time or, even worse, death. That’s why he’d been preparing for so long. Ever since he saw a knight ride into town on his horse for the first time. If he knew what he was doing, they’d never suspect him to be of lower class. So, after many years of waiting, Ryou’s chance to fight had finally come. The tournament was a sleep away, and Ryou was focused on his training.

After a few minutes of walking, he approached a familiar open field. The grass was high, but patchy in a few places, and the sun was beginning to set behind the rolling hills in the distance. _Right on time,_ Ryou thought, smiling to himself as he put his brown satchel down and set to strapping the sword belt around his waist. Once it was secured, he reached into the satchel and pulled out a book. “The art of sword fighting” was a good way to summarize the unnecessarily long title of virtually the same thing. Ryou had learned everything he knew about sword fighting from this very book. He wasn’t one for thieving, but obtaining this book, he always argued to himself, had been different.

He’d encountered this book on a trip to town one day. Ryou was twelve, then, and very new to going to the center of town by himself. He saw it in a man’s bag, and before he could have a second thought, swiped the bag and the book inside it and ran back home before anyone would have seen him with it. The center of town was so crowded, nobody had paid a small peasant boy any mind. For that, Ryou was grateful.

Ever since then, he’s read every chapter, every page, and every word over a hundred times. He was almost twenty now, and he could probably recite the entire thing word for word after reading it every day for years. He hadn’t started practicing when he was twelve, though. He only started three years ago once he was certain being a knight was what he wanted, and practiced as hard as he could because he knew he was already a few years behind the noble sons. 

Now, although Ryou never practiced with an opponent, he managed to create his own obstacle course. He built it in the open field, littering the space with traps and trip wires. 

Taking in a deep breath, Ryou decided which path of the course to take this time around. Rolling his head side to side, he wiggled his fingers and crouched down into a ready position.

_Three, two, one…_

Ryou ran across the field, his right hand lightly gripping the handle of his sword. A few feet away from his starting point, he purposely tripped over a rope tied from a post to a tree. A wooden dummy fell from the branches, and Ryou’s practice had begun.

He scrambled to his feet and unsheathed his brand new sword, liking very much the way it felt in his hands. He swiped at the dummy, pretended to be pushed, stumbled, then charged again. He parried the dummy’s wooden stick, and stepped back. Ryou turned and flipped his sword around in one hand as he calculated a hypothetical situation. He closed his eyes, and, after strategizing, proceeded with his next combo.

Of course he knew that fighting as an actual knight would be very different to fighting wooden dummies, but Ryou tried his best with what he had. He had accounted for every possible situation that might happen in the heat of battle, and developed a solution for every single one. He kept a notebook at home, but a couple years ago found he didn’t need it anymore. He’d memorized over a hundred different attacks, over two hundred counter attack scenarios, and around twenty five executions. Ryou wasn’t the type to go in for the kill. Reading the book had taught him that a strong combination of counter attacks is just as good, if not better, than one execution skill, and he found that absolutely fascinating.

The sun went down, and the next time Ryou looked up at the sky, it was dark and full of stars. He sheathed his sword and gathered his bag with the book secured inside of it. Tonight was the last time he’d be able to practice. The next day, the knight tournament would be held, and Ryou needed time to prepare for his journey to the King’s castle.

… 

“Father, I’m home,” Ryou called out as he closed the door. Ryou smiled at him, and the other grunted in return. His father sat at a small wooden table, quietly carving wood. After years of keeping the farm alive and cultivating crops for the lords, Ryou’s father finally had to settle down and resort to wood carving due to a back injury. He was good at it, though, and it was always a favorite hobby of his. Ryou was actually glad when his father asked him to sell some of the animals and take over the farm for him. Watching his father grimace while doing something as simple as picking tomatoes off the vine was upsetting. After that, the farm sales lasted up until the lords stopped buying from them. Apparently the tomatoes weren’t to their liking. Now they had a couple farm animals and a small garden, just for themselves. It was easy to manage, but money wasn’t as good as it used to be, if one could have even called it ‘good’ before.

Ryou, uncertain about the energy in the room, hid the sword behind his back as he simultaneously side stepped further into the house and away from his father. “Do I need to make dinner?” He asked, awkwardly standing in place as he waited for a response.

“Why are you so late?” His father then asked, taking Ryou off guard.

“Oh? Oh, well, I stayed a little late to clean things up. I’m sorry.” Ryou shifted his weight on his feet. He could tell the conversation would be going into a direction he didn’t want it to go to. “So, how about dinner? I can make soup.”

His father said nothing, but finally looked up to stare at him. Ryou felt on edge now. He could tell his father had something on his mind-- He knew something. Ryou stared back, eyes shifting over to the fire and the pot hanging over it. “I’ll go get some stuff for-”

“You’re not going to that knight tournament, are you?”

Ryou stiffened. He nibbled on his tongue as he thought about his answer. “Um… Yeah, actually. I was going to go with Yugi.” 

Yugi, Ryou’s best friend, was his best bet in going anywhere or doing anything. He wasn’t going to take Yugi with him, but his father didn’t need to know that. Whether or not Yugi wanted to come, though, was up to him.

Ryou paused, and his heart began to thump uncomfortably fast the longer the silence in the room remained. “...Is that okay?”

His father sighed deeply, shaking his head. “You should go to work, not goof off at some silly event. You need to do something with your life and right now you have too many distractions.”

Ryou frowned. Distractions? “What do you mean? I-I’ve been going to work every day. I’ve been staying late and-”

“Don’t lie to me, Ryou. I’ve seen that book of yours.” Ryou’s father stood from his stool and approached his son. They were the same height, but he tried to make himself look taller as a means of establishing his role as a parent. “Don’t tell me you want to fight in the king’s army. You know you can’t do that.”

Ryou looked his father in the eyes, trying his hardest not to be angry, but coming up short on that attempt. He held his breath, afraid to answer because he knew he might not be able to control his tone, but Ryou just couldn’t seem to control it. “And why not?” He answered, finally. “Wouldn’t you be proud of me? I could change the way things work here! I could-”

“You’re _one_ person. I love you, but don’t make a fool of yourself like that.” His father was stern now, his brow furrowing into a worried frown. “Not only that, but look where you live. Look around you. Where will you get the sword? The armor? Regardless of what you want to do, you just don’t have the same accessibility as those other men. Those other _wealthy_ men. I’ll be proud of you when you stop lying to me. Where have you been going after work?”

Ryou blinked, taking a step back. He’d rarely ever argued with his father about anything. They were close, and hearing such an angry, irritated tone directed at himself came as a shock. He didn’t want his father to be upset with him, but more than anything, Ryou didn’t want to live the predetermined life of poverty. He didn’t want to be looked down upon anymore, and the way his father looked at him reminded him of that. “I’ve been training,” He said confidently. “I’m going to compete.” The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and a chill ran down his spine. Ryou never admitted it out loud before, and quite honestly he hadn’t been sure if he was going to actually do it, but in that moment his brain had made the decision. He was going to compete. He _had_ to compete. All the practicing, the reading, the stealing; It couldn’t have all been for nothing. Even if his rational judgement told him it was wrong, his heart beat to the drum of his desire. There was nothing he wanted more, and he couldn’t see himself doing anything else.

His father, however, was not very amused. His concern turned to anger, and he clenched his jaw. “Are you crazy? You’ll be killed! If not by the king, then during the tournament!” He shook his head and went to grab a hold of Ryou’s arm. “Absolutely not! I forbid it. That’s nonsense!”

Ryou pulled away from him, mirroring his father’s angry expression. “No. You can’t tell me what to do. I know the consequences. And I-I’ve been preparing. I can fight.”

His father raised a brow. “Oh? Ryou, I know you. You won’t survive out there. _Please,_ just listen to me. I only want what’s best for you. Don’t you see that?”

Ryou looked at his father regretfully, slowly shaking his head. “I know you do, but- Aren’t you tired of being pushed around? Aren’t you tired of being told you can’t do something just because we-” He gripped his shirt and gestured to their small, mud floor hut. “We wear these clothes and live like this? Let them laugh at me. Let them kill me. Maybe then they’ll realize we’re not just going to be idle forever.”

Ryou’s father moved to grab Ryou’s arm again, but he didn’t want to listen anymore, utilizing the brief moment as an opportunity to bolt. He pushed the door open and started to run. His father, with his labored back, couldn’t stand a chance to run after him.

“Ryou, stop! Please! Come back!” He shouted, watching his son run off into the dark. Ryou was carrying his satchel on his shoulder, and something shiny glinted in the dark before his figure completely disappeared. 

It was pitch black, and Ryou thought he might end up getting lost, but he knew this area like the back of his hand. He knew exactly where he was going, and he knew where he needed to go. Yugi lived nearby, and Ryou needed to hear some reassuring words. Something to remind him that this was the right choice because now he wasn’t so sure. His father was wrong, right? This system was wrong! How were peasants ever supposed to get out of servitude if they were forbidden from being anything other commoners? 

Ryou knew that was the problem. They weren’t supposed to be anything more, but he just couldn’t accept that for himself.

…

When Ryou arrived at Yugi’s small wooden cottage, he caught his breath near the stables. He felt tears prick at his eyes, but he quickly shook his head, insisting that this wasn’t something to cry about.

“Ryou?”

He jumped when he heard his name, but relaxed instantly when he looked up to see his friend standing there. Something Ryou always loved about Yugi was his ability to show up at just the right time, as if he were expecting Ryou to come. Yugi always sensed when things weren’t right. “Yeah, it’s me,” He mumbled, taking a few deep breaths. “Ah… Um-Can we talk?”

Yugi smiled and nodded, approaching Ryou at his side and holding his arm. He led them into the warm, dimly torch-lit stable and they sat in the far corner. It was where they always talked when something was wrong. They’ve been doing it for years.

“You have a sword now?” Yugi asked, noticing it when Ryou sat down. Ryou could only chuckle tiredly.

“Yeah. Sort of.” He looked down at his hands, folding them in his lap. Ryou thought about the argument in his head for a moment, his face growing warm as he realized he might have overreacted. “I sort of had a fight with my father. I think… I think I made a mistake.”

Yugi looked at him with concern. Ryou’s body language wasn’t what it usually was. “Well, what happened? I’m listening.”

Ryou’s eyes shifted to look at Yugi, the corners of his mouth attempting a hint of a smile out of appreciation for his friend. He took a deep breath before he began. “I told him. I told him I was going to compete.” Yugi’s expression faltered, and Ryou could tell he would share the opinion of his father. “Yugi, I know. But I just-”

“Stop right there.” Yugi’s expression changed into something confident, something stern. “You don’t need to explain yourself to me.” He held out his hand for Ryou to take. “What does it feel like?”

Ryou eyed Yugi’s hand, not so sure about his change in mood. He hesitantly placed his hand in Yugi’s. “What do you mean?”

“What does it _feel_ like, Ryou? Does it feel right?”

Ryou blinked. “I… I think so?”

Yugi shook his head. “That’s not good enough. You won’t get anywhere if you ‘think’ you know what you’re doing. Now come on. What does it feel like?”

Ryou pressed his lips together, as if thinking hard about it, even though he didn’t really need to. “It feels right. I want it.”

Yugi gave a nod. “Good. And what is it you want?”

“I want…” Ryou looked at Yugi, for some reason not wanting to look away from him. “I want to be a knight. That’s what I want.”

Yugi fixed a wrinkle in Ryou’s collar, then placed his hands on the other’s shoulders, looking up at him. “I know you, Ryou. You’ve been pleasing everyone else your whole life.” He smiled, but it was bittersweet. “You know how I feel about you leaving, and my opinion won’t ever change, but I just hate seeing you… I don’t know. Miserable. Your father is worried, and I am, too, but he doesn’t get to see what I see. He’s never seen the Ryou I’ve seen.” He firmly gripped Ryou’s shoulders. “I know you’ll make it. It’s time you start believing in yourself, too.”

Ryou blinked his eyes a few times, unbelieving of the incredible amount of advice he’d received in such a short amount of time. He nodded, feeling as though saying anything more might ruin the positive atmosphere between them. When he didn’t make another move, Yugi pulled Ryou in for a hug, Ryou resting his chin on the other’s shoulder as he hugged back. Neither one of them moved, and neither one minded.

Ryou hesitantly opened his mouth, thoughts pouring out of his brain, but being reluctant to break the comfortable silence. “I think I’m scared,” He mumbled, not letting Yugi pull away just yet. He couldn’t face direct eye contact yet, not when he felt his eyes begin to water. “I forgot that this meant leaving behind my father. Leaving you behind, too. Am… Am I being selfish?”

Yugi breathed out through his nose, giving Ryou a squeeze before finally pulling away. He slowly shook his head, chuckling softly. “How can you be when all you’re thinking about now is us?” He sighed. “Somebody has to do something. Somebody has to show the king that we can do so much more than serve those above us.” Yugi stood then, dusting the dirt off his clothes before holding a hand out for Ryou. “You’re the only one I trust with that.”

Ryou took Yugi’s hand and stood up as well, relieved that he hadn’t cried and relieved that Yugi was on his side. He gave a nod in response, adjusting the strap of his satchel.

“Alright, now you’ve got to promise to get rid of the armor tucked away in here by morning. My grandfather is getting suspicious and I don’t need him dropping dead because he thinks I’m going to that tournament like you.” They both laughed, but Yugi stopped as if remembering something. “Oh! And you’ve got some moves to show me. I can’t cheer you on tomorrow if I don’t know how good you are.”

Ryou felt his face grow warm, and he chuckled, shyly pushing his hair back. “Yeah..? You want me to?” When Yugi nodded, quite fervently, Ryou felt the warmth in his cheeks get even worse. He supposed, though, that this was good practice, and it would mean managing to get one more warm-up in before the big day. “Alright. Stand back, Yugi, and behold the fruits of my labor.”

After laughing together, Yugi stood back and gave Ryou the room he needed, letting him stand in the middle of the stable. He’d known of Ryou’s book, practicing, and personal training, but had never actually seen any of it. Ryou was private about it, and probably would have had an earful much earlier if his father ever found out. Yugi kept his secret safe, but had always wondered how much Ryou learned. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t skeptical when Ryou first introduced the idea of competing in tournaments, but Yugi knew if Ryou wanted something, he would do the work to get it.

“It looks awkward with no one on the other side, but I’ll do my best.” Ryou adjusted the sword belt and placed his right hand on the grip. He closed his eyes and, after getting over the anxious feeling of performing in front of his best friend, proceeded with a series of swings and twirls. He kept his eyes closed, imagining that there was someone else in front of him, blocking and moving along with him. 

As Yugi watched, his mouth slowly hung open. Ryou moved forward in a perfectly straight line, twirled his sword in ways Yugi had never seen anyone do before. He was confused at first, for it really seemed like there was someone else in the room. Ryou’s movements were just so precise, and when he was done, Yugi was speechless.

Ryou opened his eyes as he sheathed his sword, turning to Yugi with a shy grin. Although, upon seeing the other’s expression, he couldn’t tell what Yugi was thinking, and grew nervous. “Oh… Was it bad? Do you think I should just-” 

“Ryou! That was amazing!” Yugi ran up to him, a spring in his step. “It was like you were actually fighting someone. I-I could practically see your opponent! I had no idea you could fight like that! You’re sword handling is-It’s better than anything I’ve ever seen!”

Ryou’s face grew more red and he chuckled. “Wow, you think so? Heh. Thanks.” His fingers moved to fiddle with the hem of his shirt. “So… Will you come cheer me on? It might help to see you there. You don’t have to, though. I-”

“Of course I’ll be there! I wouldn’t miss it for the world! You’re going to be a knight. My best friend is going to be a knight!” Yugi jumped up and down, then calmed himself down a moment afterward. “Ok, anyways, I’ll show you where I kept your little collection, and then you should get some rest, alright? You’ve got a big day ahead of you.”

Ryou nodded, the uncomfortable, unfamiliar anxious pull in his chest finally coming to an end. Yugi had given him confidence, and he knew that if Yugi believed in him, that was all he needed.

Yugi led the way to the ladder in the stable, and Ryou followed him in climbing it. Over the course of a few weeks, Ryou had managed to steal a different piece of armor from work and brought it back to Yugi to hide in the secret corner of his stable. He’d managed to accumulate a full set, and was ready to wear it on tournament day. Although, he hoped the fact that none of the pieces matched would be an issue. He tried as best he could to get them as close together as possible, but the blacksmith usually tried to make every set unique. Not to mention the scraps Ryou stole were meant to be trash, but only due to decoration mistakes or something small. He wasn’t one to know anything about fashion when it came to armor, but from a distance it all looked beautiful and shiny, and that was what he cared about most.

“Alright, here it is. It’s all in those bags.” Yugi gestured to three burlap bags bundled in the corner. “I couldn’t fit it all into one. I hope that’s ok.”

“It’s perfect.” Ryou gave Yugi a grin before approaching his armor bags, checking each one and counting all the pieces. “Looks like everything I need is right here. Thank you, Yugi. You’ve helped me in more ways than I can count.” 

They both hugged once again, but didn’t linger as they did before. Yugi patted Ryou on the back and led the way back down the ladder. “I think it’s time we both get some rest. You can sleep inside with us.”

Nodding, Ryou followed his friend out of the stable and into his small wooden home. Yugi’s grandpa was already asleep, and Yugi set up a place for Ryou to rest. They said good night, and that was the last couple of words shared between them that night. 

And would be for many nights after.

…

It was very early in the morning. The sun hadn’t risen yet, and that was exactly what Ryou was hoping for. He quietly snuck out of Yugi’s house, smiling at his sleeping form before taking his armor bags and leaving, headed back home.

He had this all planned for weeks now, and was expecting to keep on schedule. Ryou walked back home with his heavy sacks of armor, two in each hand and one tied to his back, as a means of strengthening and warming himself up for the day ahead. He didn’t know what to expect, but it was stupid to assume he had all the skills he needed. Ryou knew the facts: Tournaments like this one were created in a way that kept anyone but the wealthy out. The price of swords, armor, and horses were worth more than all of Ryou’s belongings, Ryou himself, and thensome. These other young men were predetermined to be knights, and certainly their fathers had all groomed and trained them from a very young age. Ryou wasn’t raised like that. He was raised quite differently.

Ryou was raised to be strong on the inside. He knew nothing about fighting, but he knew manners. He knew nothing about history or politics, but he knew how to read courtesy of his mother and father. And, quite unintentionally, he was raised to not be afraid of losing. Ryou didn’t like to lose; Be it games, jobs, or even people close to him, but he grew up dealing with all of those things. That was something he was sure these other well-bred young men didn’t have.

Ryou had some confidence in his strength, despite his lanky frame, for he grew up working on his farm. Ever since he could walk, Ryou was helping his family with chores. He carried buckets of water, moved the horses and cows, ran to town and back home and back to town again as fast as he possibly could- All things that he never stopped doing. Ryou didn’t know much about what it was like to live in a castle, or any wealthy home for that matter, but he could guess his competitors hadn’t done half the work he did to not only stay alive, but to acquire the skills for combat.

Once Ryou arrived back home, he was careful to avoid making noise as he passed by his house. He briefly thought about apologizing to his father, but he knew that if he went back inside, his father wouldn’t let him out. He sighed and moved on, heading toward the stables in the back of their farmland.

Most of the animals Ryou grew up with had been sold once his father started to have problems with his back. The sheep were the first to go. Then most of the chickens and two cows. All that was left in their stable was an old milking cow and a horse.

Not just any old horse, though. This was Milk. Milk, a white packhorse with brown speckles, had been around since Ryou was very young. He had many memories feeding Milk and putting supply bags on her back so that she was ready to go into town with his father. Milk was still in her prime, but she had not one mean bone in her body. She always got funny looks because of her brown speckles, and Ryou could swear he saw embarrassment in her eyes. The speckles almost looked like dirt, causing Milk to look very dirty from far away, but she was, in fact, the cleanest horse Ryou had ever known. He would know, because it was his job to clean her when she got dirty. 

However, Milk, Ryou had decided, was going to be serving a different purpose now. She hadn’t been taken to town in a long while, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t been practicing just as much as Ryou had. Once or twice a week, Ryou would take Milk out for a ride and a run. She had to learn to carry extra weight, as Ryou would be wearing armor, and she had to learn to move as Ryou did. They had to be in sync, and if they weren’t, then there would be no point in competing. Ryou had seen many war horses travel through town in his time, and Milk was nowhere near their size or strength. All that mattered, though, was that she could carry Ryou plus a little extra. She was fast, and being smaller meant she was easier to handle, too.

When Ryou went inside the stable, he placed the armor down to catch his breath. The stable was on a hill, but he was determined to carry the armor all the way. No exceptions. He turned his head to the left, catching sight of Milk leaning her head out of her pen. She wasn’t sleeping, and Ryou chuckled to himself. There was no way he could have gotten her on the same schedule as himself, but apparently he did, because she was wide awake and greeted him with a snort.

“Today’s the day, huh,” He murmured, walking over to rub Milk’s nose. “I think you’re ready. No need to be nervous.” Ryou moved to grab a brush, proceeding with the task of grooming Milk once more before they would leave. The castle, while it could be seen from far away, was quite the distance from Ryou’s residence. Not only had he accounted for travel time, but Ryou was also planning on doing last minute practices with Milk. 

And so, once Milk was groomed and fed, Ryou packed up his armor, sword, and brown satchel and strapped it to Milk, who was more than happy to do a job she hadn’t done in a long while.

…

Ryou clicked his tongue twice, and Milk took a sharp left. He swung his sword, trimming a branch clean off the tree he was aiming for. He pulled the reins, and Milk came to a halt, stomping her feet as she turned according to Ryou’s steering. He smiled at the trail of tree branches that had followed behind them. He dismounted Milk and inspected every single branch, ensuring that all the cuts were similar if not exactly the same. Once he was satisfied, he remounted his horse, and cleared his mind for the day ahead.

By this point, it was late morning, and Ryou had chosen the scenic route to not only get extra practice in, but to avoid being seen by anyone. That meant anyone. Ryou wasn’t exactly well known in town or anything, but he couldn’t risk being recognized by someone who saw him passing by. Not to mention Milk was rather noticeable with her spots, and Ryou couldn’t have any attention until he would arrive at the tournament.

Although, when he finally did arrive, Ryou experienced the complete opposite. It was long before the crowd would gather, and Ryou was a few feet away from the contestant’s entrance. He hid in the trees, watching the other young men make their grand entrances on their humongous horses with an entourage of wagons and servants trailing behind. Ryou grew nervous. He had no entourage, no other belongings other than the things Milk was carrying, and even that was rather odd, for the other horses were merely carrying their men. He glanced at the line, eyeing an opening in the back. Nothing would get done if he over thought everything, so Ryou took his chance. He quietly steered Milk over to the end of the line, slowly moving along with those in front. Another contestant, though, came from behind to wait, and Ryou felt trapped. He took in a deep breath. _Here we go,_ he thought, gently patting Milk’s neck.

It was his turn to approach the gate, and Ryou cleared his throat to state his name. He opened his mouth, but then-

“Oi! You’re falling behind!” One of the guards shouted and went behind Ryou’s horse, urging it forward with his hands. “Move along now, then. You’re holding up the line!”

Ryou blinked in confusion, gripping the reins tighter as Milk obliged to the man’s commands, trotting forward. Before he knew it, he was through the gate and entered an entirely different world.

Distracted, Ryou slowed Milk’s pace into a walk, taking in his surroundings. There were different colored tents scattered for what seemed like miles, and similar colored flags stood tall and waved in the wind. He recognized them as familial flags and district flags. He knew some, but most of them were brand new to his eyes. Ryou had no idea so many men would be competing today. Then, his stomach sank.

He felt sick. Maybe partially from nerves and a new wave of anxiety, but moreso because he finally realized why they hadn’t written his name down. His gaze moved to the party in front of him, and he quickly trotted closer. It seemed the guards thought him to be a part of the servants that trailed their lord and his son. He let out a heavy sigh. It was insulting, yes, but at least he wasn’t dead.

Ryou followed this trail of servants, deciding that it would be better to lay low until competition time, especially considering he had no tent of his own to retreat to. He looked at the flag that was being carried in the front of the parade of servants. It was lilac and gold. Ryou was impressed. Purple was an expensive dye, and the gold was certainly gold leaf or something similar. This must have been a very wealthy family. That flag alone probably cost more than Ryou’s entire town. He didn’t doubt it one bit.

They walked to an open area, and a few of the servants quickly started the task of putting up the flag and pitching the tent. Ryou spotted where the other horses were being kept, and decided he would let Milk rest so he could walk around a bit. There was a stable near where the competitions would be taking place, so Ryou took it upon himself to claim one of the stalls and put his information on the sign outside of it. Milk seemed very content to be resting, and was even more content to see food and water waiting for her inside. Ryou rubbed her nose, meanwhile glancing at the other signs around him to make sure he put the right information.

The name of the horse went first, then the rider’s, and then the rider’s best event. Ryou wasn’t sure why the last bit of information was very necessary, but from the looks of his glance around, it was simply a means of showing off. He settled for ‘sword wielding’ and gave Milk one more pat before removing his belongings from her back. It wasn’t exactly his plan to disguise himself as a servant, but Ryou supposed it wasn’t exactly the worst thing to happen. At least he could walk around freely. Hopefully, once he put his armor on, Ryou would be treated as a competitor.

He carried his bags as he left, but walking out of the stable was actually more intimidating than he thought it would be. Huge horses, certainly bred for carrying soldiers with heavy armor and equipment, were led inside, unsurprisingly, by their master’s servants. Most of the horses were either pure black or pure white with the exception of few, barely noticeable spots. The names on the stalls were intimidating ones: Champion, Slayer, Midnight, Maim… It seemed the names got worse the more signs Ryou read. It made him wonder if maybe he should rename Milk to something more… Evil. He turned around as he reconsidered, but it looked like it was too late. Somebody had already recorded his horse and his name. Ryou shrugged. At least he was recorded now.

Stepping outside from the perspective of his height, rather than the height of his horse, everything looked much bigger. The horses, tents, and even the people all seemed to loom over Ryou, threatening him unintentionally. The ground was getting muddy because of all the foot traffic, and Ryou struggled to maneuver his way back to the lilac tent. He almost dropped his bags of armor multiple times due to the fact that servants and lords weren’t paying attention to their surroundings. They were all moving automatically, completing tasks, getting ready, and yelling at anyone or anything that happened to get in their way. Which happened to be Ryou once or twice. It was all very unwelcoming. Not to say it wasn’t what Ryou expected, but he’d never experienced the life of wealth and rivalry up close. Rich people seemed to really hate other rich people.

Finally, Ryou managed to lug his heavy bags to the safe space, and he quietly stood by as servants finished setting everything up. He still saw no sign of the nobleman that this whole entourage belonged to, but maybe that was a good thing. When it seemed the coast was clear, Ryou spotted a corner in the tent to put his bags for the time being. He wasn’t sure when he should put on his armor, and he was just about to investigate the other tents, when he heard somebody shouting. Ryou turned around, but regretted it immediately as he saw a tall older man stomping toward him. 

“What are you doing? The tent is supposed to be done by now!” The man shooed Ryou away, but grabbed him when he noticed something on his waist. “What is this? You’re stealing?” Ryou shook his head and tried to explain, but before he could the man smacked him across the face and yanked the sword belt right off of Ryou. “Get out of my sight!” He shouted, once again shooing Ryou away, flailing his arms about in a hurry.

Ryou rubbed his cheek and mumbled under his breath as he backed off. He watched the man over his shoulder, eyeing where he placed the sword so he could get back to it later. When he turned his head to face forward, he accidentally bumped into someone.

“Ah,” Ryou stumbled back, keeping his head down and his hand on his cheek, “Pardon me. Sorry.”

When he didn’t hear a response, he looked up, his eyes widening in the slightest. A funny, warm feeling surged through his entire body and he found himself frozen in place. The young man, probably around the same age as Ryou, was dressed very nicely. His shirt was cotton and white, with a lilac silk over shirt bearing the family’s symbol: A golden eye. This man embodied the word ‘clean,’ and his eyes matched the color of the flag flying, conveniently in the distance, just behind his head. His skin was brown and his hair was blonde, the latter part shining flawlessly in the afternoon sun. Ryou thought he might have hit his head, for it seemed like this person was glowing--Looking like that of an angel on a stained glass window.

“Well? Are you going to just stand there or are you going to move out of my way?”

Ryou snapped out of his stupor and quickly moved to the side, bowing. He wasn’t exactly sure why he was bowing, but it just seemed like the right thing to do. Especially in front of such a strong presence. “S-Sorry,” Ryou mumbled again, lifting his head only to see that the other had walked away and disappeared into the tent already. A long breath of air streamed out of Ryou’s nose, and he hadn’t even noticed he had been holding in his breath until then.

Ryou thought it strange for his body to react that way. He looked up at the sky, squinting.  
 _Must be the sun._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long boy but i felt like it all needed to be in here.... Hope u enjoy! :-)

…

Ryou paced around the tent for a while, waiting for the two people that were inside of it to leave. He wasn’t anticipating this delay, and it was proving to be very inconvenient. Other contestants were already walking around with their armor on, practicing their sword fighting and some were even riding on their horses. Unable to put on his own armor, Ryou took it upon himself to leave the tent for a few minutes to scope out his competition.

What he found was that the skills among the men were seemingly all the same. They all performed in the same manner when they swung their swords, side stepped, parried, and pretty much everything else as if they had all learned the same skills from the same person. This caused Ryou to grow nervous, and he wondered if maybe his technique was off or wrong. What he didn’t recognize was intimidating, but what he did recognize was… mediocre. Sloppy, even. One man in specific had weak wrists, and his sword was sagging slightly as he fought his practice opponent. Ryou watched them for a moment, predicting the direction of the weak wrist hand, and was almost right each time. There was one strike that was perfect, though, because the man finally stiffened his arm and corrected his position.

While some taller, stronger men intimidated Ryou with their size, he found their technique to be manageable. However, he couldn’t allow himself that much confidence, for he had never even fought an actual moving opponent before. Maybe he would be able to change that before he went into the competition. A few of the competitors had started teaming up to practice. Perhaps it might have been to show off, but Ryou wanted to get a taste of what he was getting himself into. He just needed to put on his armor.

Circling back to the lilac tent, Ryou didn’t see anyone in it for the moment, and utilized the opportunity to grab his bags and sword. He eyed a clean white overshirt sitting out in the open, and decided to snatch that as well. Wearing a white cotton shirt might serve to better his chances at being viewed as a participant rather than a servant during times he didn’t have the armor on. After grabbing all he needed, Ryou quickly scurried out of the tent before anyone could come back and see him. Perhaps placing his things in someone else’s tent wasn’t the best idea, so he concluded he would have to change far away from everyone else. Thankfully, he hadn’t had to walk very far to reach the end of the line of tents and set ups, which was where he thought it best to keep his things. 

First, he changed his shirt, tossing his old, worn out fabric away. The cotton shirt smelled really good, and it felt smooth on his skin. After that, there was the task of putting on his armor, which wasn’t proving to be as easy as he thought it would be. The leg pieces weren’t so difficult, but the chest and arm pieces were impossible to get on by himself. He groaned and swore under his breath, fiddling with the metal ligaments and growing frustrated. Apparently, he wasn’t being as quiet as he had wanted, and he felt eyes behind him. He stood still, holding the breastplate to his chest with his hands, as it wasn’t on all the way, and slowly turned around.

It was that man from before, only now his fancy clothes were covered by his gold tinted armor. The gold twinkled in the sun, and he somehow looked even more angelic than he did before-- Even with a sly smirk plastered on his face.

“Struggling?” He asked, tilting his head as he looked Ryou up and down with just his eyes.

Ryou, while he was flattered to have been graced by the man’s presence once more, couldn’t help but feel very anxious. Not so long ago this man had seen him in rags. Was he going to turn Ryou in for stealing? Was he going to slap Ryou like the other man had?

“I… Um, what?” Ryou felt his heart beat faster as the man started walking toward him. Before he knew it, the man was standing directly in front of him, placing his hands on Ryou’s armor. Ryou’s breath caught in his throat and he prepared himself for the inevitable pull, expecting the other to yank the armor right off his body. But that never happened. Actually, Ryou felt his breastplate begin to feel more secure and in place.

“There. Those things are always tricky.”

Ryou, speechless, looked down and saw that his armor was put together. He slowly lifted his head to look at the other. He was very confused by this interaction. “Thanks,” He said quietly, not so sure if that was even the right way to respond.

“No problem. I’m Malik by the way.” The man, Malik, blinked once, studying Ryou’s face for a moment. “Sorry, have we met before? You look really familiar.”

Ryou opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Familiar? They had just bumped into each other, not even an hour ago! He felt a wave of anger flash within him, but it left as quickly as it came. Disappointment was a better way to describe the way Ryou felt, but he pushed it aside. He’d now entered a world where people were recognized by the clothes they wore and not by the way they looked. In Ryou’s opinion, Malik was lucky he looked so good in his shiny golden armor.

“Ah, no, I don’t think so. I just have one of those faces, I guess.” Ryou chuckled softly, holding his hand out for a handshake. “I’m Ryou.”

Malik shook his hand firmly. “Ryou,” he repeated, “Nice to meet you.” He looked down at the ground and picked up Ryou’s gauntlets, holding them out so Ryou could slide his hands inside. “Where is all of your stuff? Why are you over here all by yourself?”

Ryou obliged and allowed Malik to help him with his armor, but struggled with his questions. “I guess I got sort of lost. I was carrying my armor off my horse and couldn’t find my tent. I can’t be wasting time with wandering, though.”

Malik gave him a funny look. “Why don’t you have your servants do that for you?” He shrugged then. “Well, I guess you can’t always rely on them. Anyways, I’m surprised. This is the biggest tournament I’ve seen yet. There’s tons more contestants than there were a few years ago.”

After Malik helped Ryou with a few more parts, Ryou was finally all suited up. He smiled, feeling more confident and prepared. His helmet had yet to be put on, but that wouldn’t be needed until the tournament actually started. He considered Malik’s comment, busying himself with attaching his sword belt to his waist. “Were you behind the scenes last time? I’ve only seen these tournaments from the audience side. This is all new to me.”

“Yeah. I was here for my older brother. I hated every bit of it, though.” Malik waited for Ryou to show that he was done getting ready before looking at the scenery around them. It was an open field on one side and chaos on the other. “I can show you around if you want.”

Ryou smiled, but shook his head. “Ah, thank you, but I wanted to get some last minute practice in before it starts.”

“Oh. I can warm up with you, too, if you want to do that instead. You chose a good spot. There’s no one in the grass over there.” Malik pointed behind Ryou to show him the way, then started walking, expecting Ryou to follow him.

Ryou wasn’t sure if he should be anxious or excited. His first sword fight practice with an actual person should be scary, but it was anything but. Maybe it was because Malik didn’t seem _too_ bad. Of course, Ryou was still distracted by his amazing golden armor, so that might explain why his nerves weren’t as on edge as they should have been. They both stopped at the same time and turned to face each other. Ryou looked around, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

“So, uh… How should we start?” 

Malik unsheathed his sword, doing so with an elegant ‘schwing.’ Ryou’s eyes never came off it, because Malik’s sword was equally as shiny as his armor. He didn’t get a good look at the handle, but he swore he saw some type of precious gem embedded in the pommel.

Malik grinned when he noticed Ryou admiring his weapon, and took it as an opportunity to catch him off guard. “We can start now,” He said, quickly lunging forward.

However, much to both their surprise, Ryou pulled his sword from its scabbard and quickly held it in front to block Malik’s attack. He stared at Malik in shock, not sure if he was joking around or if he was legitimately about to murder him.

“Ryou, right?” Malik asked, applying some pressure to their crossed swords. “That was actually pretty cool. I’ve never seen anyone react as fast as you did to that trick.”

Ryou saw Malik’s shoulders begin to move, and his muscles seemed to move on their own accord before he could even think about what he was doing. Block, block, block-- Ryou stopped every advance Malik threw at him, their swords clashing together every time. Malik paused for a moment, looking to be in disbelief that rather than gaining any advantage, he was falling behind. Ryou stood in a ready position, looking at Malik with a similar dumbfounded expression.

“Stop doing that,” Malik demanded, relaxing his stance to hold conversation. “It’s freaking me out.”

Ryou blinked, confused. “Stop what?” He also relaxed, idly twirling his sword in his hand. Malik squinted at him, eyes shifting from the sword back to Ryou.

“You… Your eyes. Open them when you fight.” Malik’s skepticism quickly turned into a grin. He cackled. “Oh my god, you really don’t know!” He continued laughing, simultaneously sheathing his sword as he walked closer to Ryou. “You-” Malik caught his breath, “You know that won’t work every time, right? There’s no way.”

Ryou also put his sword away, his brow furrowed in confusion. “My… eyes? I close them?” He grimaced. “I didn’t know I did that.”

Ryou bit his lip. Closing his eyes might have been a result of training alone. He always pictured his opponent and never had to watch anyone in front of him. This time was lucky, but he really could have sworn he was watching Malik’s every move.

“Yeah, well, maybe you need a better trainer. Now is a little late for that so,” Malik placed his armored hand on Ryou’s shoulder, giving him a small shake, “I wish you luck out there. Good warm up, though. Anyway, how about I show you around, seeing that it’s your first time here and all.” 

Ryou nodded hesitantly, but went no further without asking a pressing question. “Why are you being so nice to me? Aren’t we supposed to be competing _against_ each other?” 

Malik raised a brow and smirked, putting a hand on his hip. “Why? Do you want to be enemies? I can make that happen.”

Ryou quickly shook his head, putting his hands up in defense. “No, no, I was just asking. I’m fine with, erm… Good sportsmanship.”

Snorting, Malik rolled his eyes and turned around, motioning for Ryou to follow him. “Most people might call it ‘being friends,’ but we can go with that if you’d like.”

Ryou felt himself blush and he mumbled under his breath, embarrassed that he couldn’t keep up with Malik’s style of conversation. He wasn’t expecting someone of Malik’s stature to be so friendly, especially since he was so passive during their first run-in. It made Ryou uncomfortable, in a way, because he knew that Malik was only friendly because he thought Ryou to be in the same status as he was. Or maybe that was a good thing. Maybe, if they remained friends, Malik wouldn’t be so appalled by the fact that Ryou was only a commoner.

“So, since you’re new to this scene, I suggest you stay away from anybody else’s tent. Fathers and higher ups are really on edge and paranoid about who talks to their sons and whatnot,” Malik explained, and the right side of Ryou’s face grew hauntingly warm as if his skin alone remembered the blow it had taken not too long ago. Malik wasn’t kidding about that.

“Is… Is your father like that? Wouldn’t he be upset if he saw us talking?” Ryou asked, wondering if the man that hit him was possibly Malik’s father. He should steer clear of him if he was.

“Yeah, but he’s busy talking with the king. He works in the court.” Malik looked over his shoulder at Ryou, smirking again. “So you don’t need to worry.”

They continued walking and Malik began to talk about drama happening with some of the competitors and their families. Apparently his father knew a lot of secrets from dealing with outside affairs. Most of these secrets involved smuggling and very shady ways of handling money. Ryou was uncomfortable and felt as though he shouldn’t know these things, but something told him it was important that he, specifically, knew about them. A peasant infiltrating the wealthy class’s secrets was certainly an advantage for the peasants. Maybe Ryou could use this information in the future, regardless if he was a winner in the tournament.

Despite hearing these disturbing pieces of information, Ryou enjoyed hearing Malik talk. He was a different personality to what Ryou was used to, but in a good way. He could have been wrong, but Ryou felt like Malik liked talking to him, too. Ryou’s comments were minimal, but when he was familiar with a topic- Such as sword fighting or small talk- They held a steady conversation.

Malik led the way to the stables, looking over at Ryou as they walked next to each other. “I’ll show you my horse if you show me yours.”

Ryou chuckled and nodded. “Sure. Mine is in the back.” He took the lead and when they reached Milk, Ryou gestured to her proudly. “This is Milk. She isn’t very big, but she might just be the fastest horse you’ve ever seen.”

“Hm,” Malik hummed, raising a brow as he looked over Ryou’s horse, nodding his head in approval. “Okay. She’s got an interesting coat, but I’m going to have to argue with you on her being the fastest.” Malik grabbed Ryou’s wrist and pulled him over to the other side of the stables, and they stopped in front of a grand white stallion. “His name is Ares. I named him after the greek god of war. He was a gift from my father when I turned fifteen. I’ve had him five years now and I even trained him myself.” Malik held his hand out flat in front of his horse, and Ares leaned over and nuzzled his nose into it. “We have a special connection.”

A smile crept onto Ryou’s face and he couldn’t hold it back. He didn’t know Malik very well--At all, actually--But just from conversing with him, Ryou could tell he was keen on being confident. This interaction with his horse, however, gave off something very genuine to Ryou. Malik had a soft spot for horses it seemed. “Well, we’ll just have to see who trained their horses better. I trained mine, too, you know.”

“Hmph. Challenge accepted.” Malik gave his horse one more rub on the nose before they headed back out.

The tournament would be starting soon, and Ryou nearly shrunk in on himself as he took another look at all the people there. All the young men had their helmets on, and they were getting pep talks from their trainers and fathers. It was time to get focused, and it seemed both Ryou and Malik felt the change in energy when they had walked out of the stables.

“Well, I guess we better go get ready,” Ryou mumbled, remembering momentarily that he and Malik would actually be competing against each other. “I’ll see you on the field?” He held out his hand and smiled.

“Yeah,” Malik agreed, smiling back and giving Ryou’s hand a firm shake. “See you on the field.”

With that, the two parted ways, Malik going back to his lilac tent and Ryou going back to collect his satchel and helmet. As he maneuvered his way about the path, he noticed others nod at him and servants lower their heads as he passed them by. Ryou thought that, when this happened, he would feel good. He thought he might feel stronger and more confident, but more than anything it made him uncomfortable. There was such a drastic difference between the way nobleman looked at him and the way servants looked at him (that is, when servants felt confident enough to look his way). It was sad, and Ryou hoped that what he was doing would not only help his own situation, but the situation of others. It wasn’t just a means of following his dreams. It was a means of changing the rules for the better, to get the wealthy to notice the commoner, and for the commoner to believe they can do something more than what they’re told to do.

Ryou approached his empty bags and satchel and picked up his helmet. He stared at his distorted reflection in the metal, frowning. 

…

“Welcome, one and all, to the kingdom’s most exciting event!” The announcer stood in the middle of the dirt dueling ring, people sitting and cheering in rows all around it. Most of them were wealthy families, but a few peasants could afford to take time off to watch the tournament. Yugi was one of them, although he was having trouble seeing the field due to, not necessarily his height, but the height of those around him. He tried to pay attention to what the announcer was saying, but his words were getting lost in the cheering and shouting of the people in the crowd. Yugi pushed his way as politely as he could have, but that didn’t seem to work. He groaned, thinking of what to do to get to the front. He _had_ to get to the front. It was necessary for Ryou to see him, to know that he was there.

Suddenly, the crowd grew quiet, but Yugi wasn’t really sure why. He used it to his advantage and started on a determined path of squeezing through distracted bodies. Finally, he reached the front, but was startled when the crowd burst into a roar. A joyful roar. Yugi covered his ears and frowned, looking around at the people next to him. Their eyes were all on the same spot, staring at something far away and above them. Yugi followed their eyes until he, too, found himself wanting to cheer. The king was waving to the crowd and smiling. 

King Atem was very popular in the kingdom, for he was the youngest king they’ve ever had. He was loved among the commoners, for he lowered the amount of taxes they owed to the lords. It wasn’t drastic, but it was certainly the first time any king or authority figure acknowledged their existence. Not to mention, he was, admittedly, quite attractive. Yugi stared, admiring the King’s smile, his clothes, and the beautiful gold crown that sat atop his head. Once he sat down, the crowd quieted down, and it seemed the tournament was about to begin. Yugi kept his eyes on the king, squinting as the man’s advisor whispered something in his ear. The advisor was always next to King Atem, and Yugi wondered if maybe the royal courts had placed him there. He was very different and seemed nothing like the king. The advisor was very tall and very slim, and he always held his hands behind his back is if he were hiding something there. His name was Seto, but he was rarely ever talked about. Yugi and Ryou had come up with a theory, long ago when the king had been appointed, that Seto was holding him back. They had faith in the king, but after the tax law, nothing else changed. Maybe, if Ryou made it in, he’d be able to find out what’s going on for sure.

Now, Ryou himself was far from thinking about the king and politics. He was watching from the sidelines along with all the other contestants, sweating double from nerves as well as being under the heat of the sun in heavy armor. Malik was standing next to him, but they weren’t as chatty as they were before. In a way, that made Ryou feel a little better, for now he knew that he wasn’t the only one nervous about competing. He couldn’t tell if anyone else was, because they certainly didn’t show it in any way.

Ryou pushed his bangs back, not liking the feeling of sweat dripping down his face and neck. He felt someone tap his shoulder and he turned, facing Malik.

“I’ve got a hair tie,” He said, taking it upon himself to stand behind Ryou and start pulling his hair back. “It helps for me.”

Ryou stood still, his head leaning back on it’s own as Malik tugged at his hair, tying the thick white locks into a tight bun.

“There. That should hold. It’s low enough so it won’t get in the way of your helmet.”

Ryou murmured a ‘thank you’ and Malik nodded back. They both looked back out at the field and listened to the announcer. He shouted the rules and the outcomes for the winners, and then proceeded with calling out the names of the knights and their horses. Ryou was familiar with this, having seen it a few times in the audience, and so knew the motions of waving to the crowd and making himself look like someone worth cheering for.

“Up next, we have Ryou and his noble steed,” The announcer squinted at the paper in his hand, his voice faltering as the name took him off guard, “Milk.”

Ryou, his heart beating faster than it ever had before, held his helmet in one arm and jogged out to the field, seeing Milk being led out by someone else on the other side. He forced himself to smile and waved his free hand, looking at Milk before he would look at the audience. Much to his surprise, the audience cheered for him. Loudly. 

“Quite the odd name for a horse, but-” The announcer cleared his throat and waited for the crowd to fall quiet before he continued. “Ryou is a skilled sword handler. Show us some moves before we see you on the field, eh?”

Ryou swallowed, then looked all around him at the crowd. They all had their hands in the air, watching him. He scanned all the people, but his eyes eventually managed to land on Yugi. His smile grew, and he waved to him. If he hadn’t shown, Ryou wasn’t sure if he’d be able to make it, but now he felt at ease. Yugi was on his side, and he wasn’t alone.

Ryou handed his helmet to the announcer and bowed to the crowd, hamming it up and enjoying the applause that came after. He placed his hand on his sword and it became quiet, the audience anticipating Ryou’s next move. Slowly, Ryou pulled out his sword and let it flash in the sunlight. Then, he began to twirl it in his hand, his fingers and wrist moving automatically as these were tricks he’d done probably a million times. The audience loved it. They gasped and clapped, hooted and hollered, and Ryou didn’t think he would have felt as excited as he did being the center of attention. He slowed his twirls and ended his little trick by skillfully sliding his sword back into the scabbard, making it seem as though he hadn’t even stopped twirling it before he did. The announcer clapped, and Ryou looked up at the king, his excited grin turning into a smirk when he saw the other applaud him as well.

Ryou waved to the crowd one last time, and he jogged to the other side of the field to join the other competitors while Milk was led to join the other horses.

“And now, you all know this one’s brother, and believe me he’s equally just as strong. Introducing Milk!” The crowd, rather than cheering, was silent for a moment, and the announcer quickly realized his mistake. He coughed and fussed with his paper, deciding it best to start that one over. “Introducing _Malik_ Ishtar!”

Ryou was shocked, and he almost felt bad for Malik, but the other didn’t seem so upset as he jogged to the center and met his horse in the middle. The audience laughed, but it wasn’t malicious. At least Ryou didn’t think so. It was silly to put two similar looking names next to each other anyway.

Ryou watched Malik, but his skill wasn’t sword handling, much to his surprise. Malik seemed pretty good with his beautiful shiny sword, but he seemed to be even better when he climbed on his horse. Everyone seemed to have forgotten the name mixup then, because Malik was exciting the crowd by riding around the field on his horse, telling it when to jump, stop, walk, run, and even spin. Both Malik and his horse looked to be having a lot of fun, and the king himself gave Malik a standing ovation. Ryou chuckled to himself and clapped along with the audience. Malik knew how to shine, and Ryou immediately felt sorry for the men that had to follow his performance.

When the excitement was all done, Malik jogged back to the other side and met Ryou at his side. He was catching his breath a little, and he leaned on Ryou both for support as well as to tease him. “So? You still think you trained your name-snatching horse better?”

Ryou couldn’t help but laugh. “We’ll see. Just be careful you don’t get caught. I think they’re looking for you back at the stables.”

Malik snorted and gave Ryou a playful shove. Then, as their adrenaline faded away, they watched the rest of the introductions, standing quietly as their brains began to focus once again.

It wasn’t long before the announcer began to explain the first competition. The first, of three, was horsemanship. A knight wouldn’t be complete without his trusty steed, and their horse had to be fit for the heat of battle. Contestants were to complete an obstacle course on horseback. The course was littered with tasks for both the rider and the horse. Targets, dummies, jumps, and tricks were all required to completing the course. The top ten riders got to move on.

There were over thirty contestants, but Ryou had confidence in his and Milk’s capabilities. They were always in sync, even before their training began. Ryou was sure they held a bond like no other, except maybe Malik’s bond with Ares.

Ryou retrieved Milk from the stables and was directed to his place in line. He held the reigns and stood next to Milk, watching the contestants before him make or break their obstacle course performance.

“Hey, short guy.”

Assuming that the insult was directed at him, Ryou turned around and squinted. He wasn’t expecting to make another friend, although he was pretty sure this guy wasn’t approaching him for that reason. “Can I help you?” Ryou asked, rather passively.

“What’s with the get up. Your armor doesn’t match.” The man, wearing a green and yellow tunic, crossed his arms and looked at Ryou with suspicion. “You look stupid.”

Ryou clenched his jaw and pursed his lips, tilting his head back slightly as an attempt to look taller. “You really want to know?” He said, stalling to come up with a story. “I’ll have you know you’re disrespecting my family for asking such a question.”

The other sneared, stepping closer to Ryou to further intimidate him with his height. “I’m waiting.”

Ryou glared up at him, his thoughts coming to a final conclusion on the made up story behind his mismatched armor. “Each piece is from a fallen father. I’ve got generations of souls strapped to my body. I can hear their battle screams in my ears constantly when I wear it, and I feel sorry for anyone who even _touches_ my haunted armor. You know why?” Ryou raised a brow, standing on his tiptoes to lean in closer to the other, who seemed very unsure of him now. He took his silence as an answer and continued. “Because they tell me things.”

Now, luckily enough, the green and yellow uniform gave this man away to Ryou immediately. He recognized the symbol on the front of the tunic as one of the families Malik discussed with him. This one in particular didn’t have to do with money, but with familial affairs. This man had a secret love life with a woman outside the kingdom, but he was arranged to marry someone else. It was one of the most interesting tales Ryou had ever heard.

When the green and yellow man looked skeptical, Ryou smirked and used it as an opportunity to use this information. “You want to take that chance? Go ahead. I dare you.”

Ryou went back down on his heels and waited for the other man to touch his armor. He was reluctant, but curiosity must have overtaken him, because the man shoved Ryou at the shoulder.

“Tch. You’re full of it,” He challenged, and Ryou gladly took it.

Ryou played along with his prank, pretending as if his body went stiff. He leaned his ear close to his shoulder, as if the shoulder piece were whispering to him, and he gasped. “Oh my…” Ryou looked up at the man, clicking his tongue three times in disappointment. “Be lucky your soon to be bride isn’t around to hear this one.”

The man’s eyes widened and he looked at Ryou in concern. “What do you mean?” He asked, hesitance in his tone.

Ryou only chuckled to himself and turned away. “Oh, I think you know what I mean, lover boy. Want to try your luck and push me one more time?”

The green and yellow clothed man suddenly looked pale, and he awkwardly stepped away, moving to whisper the new rumor of Ryou’s haunted armor to his fellow competitors. Ryou, in turn, looked back out at the field, a satisfied smirk sitting on his lips.

One by one the contestants rode their horses, and Ryou could honestly say that none of the ones he saw were bad. Everyone was quite talented and determined. Soon, Ryou was on deck to go, so he put his helmet on and mounted his horse. He watched the man before him perfect every jump, hit every target, and do it all in one of the fastest times of the day. Ryou took in a deep breath and gently stroked the side of Milk’s neck, closing his eyes as he focused on just listening to his heart beat. He felt a breeze blow past him as the previous competitor rode back in with his horse, signaling Ryou to open his eyes. 

The announcer shouted his name, and the crowd began to cheer for him again. He trotted out with Milk, gave Yugi another wave, and looked at the course in front of him. Ryou murmured gentle, reassuring words to Milk, then, once he saw the red flag get waved down, he clicked his tongue to get Milk moving.

And boy, did she move. Ryou unsheathed his sword and swung at the targets, breezing by the first set of obstacles with no problem. Each time Milk needed to jump or slow down, Ryou gave her a tongue click. One to go fast, two to slow down, and a verbal command to jump. She easily made all the jumps, and Ryou even felt confident enough to do a few sword tricks as they raced around the course.

It all happened so fast, as if Ryou had merely blinked and it was over. Milk circled around back to where they started, and their time was marked. Ryou slowed her to a trot and turned around to see his score.

_8/10_

It wasn’t the highest score, but it was enough. Ryou let out a deep breath and walked Milk back to the stables. One event down, two more to go.

The next competition Ryou knew would be his best. It was sword fighting, and the top ten competitors from the horsemanship competition would each compete against one other person, eliminating five more men. Part of Ryou hoped that he would be partnered with Malik, for he knew a bit of his fighting style already, but that would mean one of them would no longer be competing. Ryou dearly hoped that Malik would stay in the game, at least for as long as Ryou did.

After putting Milk away, Ryou jogged back to the field, for the event was almost done, and the announcement of winners would soon take place. He got back just in time to watch the end of Malik’s performance, and Ryou cheered him on from the side. The crowd seemed to love him, and the king looked enthusiastic as well.

The results were calculated, and Malik received a perfect score.

He waved to the audience and headed back to the side, dismounting his horse and handing it off to a servant. Ryou was excited, and he quickly raced over to congratulate him.

“That was amazing! You got the fastest time today!” Ryou grinned, watching as Malik took his helmet off. It seems his hair tie came undone, and he shook his head from side to side, allowing his shiny golden hair to fall perfectly around his face. Ryou felt as though it happened in slow motion.

“Heh, thanks,” Malik replied, combing his fingers through his hair. “I think it’s proof I win, though.” He gave Ryou a wink, but walked off, leaving Ryou standing in place.

“Hey, wait-” Ryou moved to follow where Malik was going, but stopped when he watched him approach a group of people. Ryou recognized the older looking man from earlier that day, but the other two were people he’d never seen before. It was a very tall, strong looking man, and an equally tall, beautiful woman. They hugged Malik, and the older man stood by watching. Ryou concluded that that must have been Malik’s family. Immediately, Ryou walked the other way, for he didn’t want the older man to recognize him as the ‘servant’ he’d shooed away before.

There was something about watching Malik be embraced by his family, though, that caused Ryou’s chest to feel tight. If only Ryou’s father were here to see him. Maybe he would change his mind after seeing how much work Ryou put into training, or maybe he’d just comment about putting that work into something useful like his job. Ryou wished his father could have seen it the same way he did. Especially now, because Ryou was one step closer to actually making his dream come true.

With a sigh, Ryou walked to the line of men, and joined them in watching the rest of the competitors. They were good, but no one was nearly as good as Malik. Once all the contestants had their turn, the king disappeared into the castle along with the announcer to discuss the results. Ryou had kept track, as much as he could have, of all the scores, and he knew that he’d make it to the second round.

Still, hearing his name get called was more exciting than he could have ever imagined.

Those who didn’t make it through were sent to pack up and head back to where they came from, leaving only the ten contestants that made it to round two. Everyone had their eyes on Malik now, for he had been the only one to achieve a perfect score, and was making himself out to be some kind of ‘threat.’ Ryou didn’t see him that way, though. His skills on horseback were phenomenal, and Ryou was sure he couldn’t keep up with him in that regard, but sword fighting? Well, Ryou would allow it to be the one thing he took pride in.

There was just the issue of keeping his eyes closed. He hoped that it wouldn’t affect him in the heat of the competition, but thinking about it certainly wouldn’t help much, so Ryou figured it best to just continue to do what he had been doing. Besides, it might have just been a nervous reaction to Malik’s sudden attacks.

Ryou found a secluded place to practice, once again imagining an adversary. He also watched his hand and wrist, checked his footing and his form, just to make sure it was all correct. Before he knew it, though, it was time for the remaining competitors to gather on the field and be assigned their opponents.

Ryou didn’t stand next to Malik this time, for the other was across the way, chatting with others. Jealous wasn’t the right way to describe it, but Ryou felt strange seeing him talk to others so easily. It reminded him that he was an outsider-- Somebody that had never seen this world before.

“Perhaps the most important skill for soldiers and knights is sword fighting. In this next competition, contestants will battle one on one. Both the winner and the loser will move on to the next competition. However, the loser will lose points from their total score, thus resulting in a disadvantage during the last competition,” The announcer explained, both to the young men surrounding him as well as the audience. Everyone was quiet, awaiting to hear the rules.

“To win, the fighter must touch the armor of their opponent three times with the flat of their sword. No head shots, stabbing, or tripping. We want to see your skills, so show them to us!” The announcer waved his hands around, encouraging the audience to cheer for the last part. Ryou looked around at the other men around him, nibbling his lip. He wondered if any one of them would play dirty and cheat. What would happen then? Would they get disqualified? Or would it just be ignored? He shook his head and his arms, trying to clear his mind of irrational thoughts.

The announcer was handed another piece of paper, and he began to read off the names of who would be fighting who. Ryou looked at the men around him, recognizing some of their names from before and learning ones he had missed. He perked up when Malik’s name was read, and was relieved when he wasn’t chosen to fight against him. He felt sorry for the guy that was, though.

“Ryou and Ushio!”

When Ryou heard his name, he kept his eyes peeled on who he would be fighting. When he showed himself, Ryou gulped. Ushio was a little over six feet, very strong, and as if his physique wasn’t enough, his red and black tunic over his dark grey, almost black armor made him look even more intimidating. He towered over Ryou as he walked past him, purposefully giving him a glare. Ryou felt his heart palpitate. He’d never imagined fighting against anyone this strong, and frankly didn’t think anyone like that existed in real life. Stories, maybe, but not right there in front of him. Suddenly, he didn’t think he had much of a chance anymore. He couldn’t possibly overpower someone like that, especially when he, himself, wasn’t even nourished properly. 

Ryou turned around to go start practicing, but then he heard his name again.

“... Our first contestants for the competition!”

Ryou’s eyes widened. What? _First?_

Malik came up from behind him and clapped his back, nearly knocking Ryou over. “Good luck. Remember to open your eyes.”

Ryou watched him walk away and in turn, saw Ushio walk toward him again. He couldn’t see his face because his helmet was on, but that didn’t make him any less threatening than before. The field was cleared away, and Ryou let out a shaky sigh as he put his own helmet on. The crowd’s cheering echoed in his ears, and he scanned the front row of people to spot Yugi. He was shouting something, but Ryou couldn’t hear him. He gave Ryou a thumbs up, which made him feel a little better, but it all left when he faced his opponent. 

The announcer repeated the rules, but Ryou honestly wasn’t sure if the man in front of him would follow them. He could easily chop Ryou’s head clean off.

Ryou wriggled his fingers and rolled his head around before placing his hand on his sword. All he had to do was remember his training.

“On your mark!” The announcer shouted, and the crowd roared. “Bow to your opponent, and let the competition begin!”

Ryou stepped forward with Ushio, and they bowed to each other, holding the position for a few seconds. Ryou glanced up, but as soon as he did, the other decided to play dirty. He drew his sword and aimed a swing for Ryou’s back, but Ryou was faster. Quickly, he pulled his sword from the belt and blocked the attack, the metal clashing together and the crowd continuing to shout their excitement. Ushio seemed shocked, and he stepped back, but Ryou stepped forward and swung his sword. He heard a ringing sound, thinking their swords had collided again, but he heard a correction to that thought being yelled.

“One point for Ryou!”

Once again, the crowd burst into applause and cheering, and Ryou only realized what had happened because…

He opened his eyes.

“Wh-You can’t do that!” Ushio shouted over the crowd, and Ryou looked up at him. Whether it was because of his nerves or because of a sudden wave of confidence. Ryou wasn’t sure, but he laughed.

“Can’t I?” Ryou grinned to himself, and decided, for the sake of the crowd, to make things more interesting. He gripped his helmet at the chin and pulled it off, tossing it aside. While his hair was still in a bun, loose strands messily fell around his face and frizzed in all directions. He laughed again when the audience gasped. “Let’s make things more interesting.”

His helmet, while very handy for safety, blocked his face from the audience (and the king). How else was he supposed to show off his new trick?

The other man growled and yanked his own helmet off as well, glaring daggers at Ryou. He advanced again, and, without thinking, Ryou dodged the attack. He side-stepped, and Ushio was still running for a second before he realized Ryou wasn’t there. As he turned around, seeming to be blinded by anger, he failed to notice the way Ryou held his sword. When he ran to Ryou again, he tripped. The crowd laughed, and Ryou twirled his sword around in his hand after he had tripped Ushio with it.

“Watch your step,” He teased, getting into a ready stance when Ushio scrambled onto his feet.

They stared each other down, slowly pacing across from each other in a circle. Ryou thought about making the first move, but reconsidered due to his opponents size. He’d never be able to gain an advantage that way. The other was much too strong and would block his attacks too easily.

Ryou’s thinking was interrupted as Ushio charged him again, attempting to take him off guard, but once again Ryou was able to react.

It was a strange sensation, really. It was almost as if Ryou knew when and how the other would attack just before he did it. The crowd was void of sound again as their swords begin to clang together, hit after hit. As it went on, Ushio seemed to grow frustrated and tried attacking faster, but Ryou was able to keep up. His arms moved fluidly, thoughtfully, and steadied, but a downward attack from above caused him to falter. He blocked the attack with his sword pointed sideways, but Ushio used his strength to his advantage and leaned into Ryou’s sword. Rather than opening his eyes, which is what he probably should have done, Ryou squeezed them shut. He felt the pressure on his sword, and his arms began to shake. He gasped when he felt his footing slide. Any second now, he knew his block might break.

Reluctantly, Ryou opened his eyes and quickly scanned over his opponents stance, ignoring the menacing expression in front of him. He immediately saw Ushio’s footing was also off kilter. WIth no other option, Ryou decided to take a risk. He purposely gave up on the strength battle, but managed to dive roll off to the side before the other’s sword could touch him. The sudden shift in weight, or lack thereof, caused Ushio to fall forward. Ryou took advantage of the small window of opportunity and reached as far as he could, only needing to tap the other on the back with his sword.

“That’s _two_ points for Ryou!” The announcer exclaimed, and, once again, the crowd exploded into hoots and hollers. Ryou quickly got on his feet, and so did his adversary. He wasn’t quite ready for another round of attacks, but that was exactly what the Ushio had in mind. He raced toward Ryou, and Ryou adjusted his grip on his sword.

What happened after that, Ryou honestly couldn’t say. Their swords clashed together a few times, and the next thing Ryou knew, he opened his eyes and saw his opponent without a sword. The crowd gasped, everyone standing at attention and staring hard at Ryou. He looked at his opponent for some reason, hoping he would offer some sort of explanation, but Ushio just stared at him in shock. Ryou wasn’t sure what to do.

He looked to the left, spotting the sword that somehow escaped Ushio’s hands on the sidelines. People who were standing there quickly moved out of the way, creating an empty space around it. When Ryou looked back at Ushio, both their brains seemed to click at the same time.

The two of them raced to the sword, Ryou falling behind. Some part of him, some very competitive part of him, couldn’t let Ushio grab his sword. Adrenaline kicked in, and Ryou ran as fast as he could before diving forward, skimming his sword across the dirt ground to trip his opponent. The man fell onto his back, and Ryou slid a little further from the speed of his dive.

It seemed the fighting had ended, because Ushio didn’t move to get up. Panting, Ryou stared at the fallen form, slowly walking over to him. He couldn’t tell if the crowd was still cheering, for it had all become white noise long ago. Ryou approached him, but rather than taking the chance to tap him one last time, Ryou held a hand out to help Ushio off the ground.

The man looked at him with suspicion, but Ryou showed no sign of malice or trickery. Hesitantly, Ushio reached up and took Ryou’s hand, using it as leverage to stand himself up. He looked down at Ryou, glaring at first, but his expression became neutral after that. Nodding, he held his arms out in retreat, urging Ryou to take his last point.

The crowd cheered, and it was at that point that Ryou finally tuned back into reality. He slowly turned in a circle, looking at all the faces that were cheering for him. Even the king was on his feet, seeming to be very interested in Ryou’s victory.

Humbly, Ryou bowed to his opponent before lightly tapping his armor with his sword. The field was suddenly flooded with the other competitors, and Malik was the first to grab hold of Ryou.

“That was amazing! I can’t believe you did all of that!” He shouted over all of the cheering, and Ryou felt himself blush. He heard murmurs and questions, and he honestly felt excited that they were all directed toward him.

“Did you really close your eyes?”  
“What made you think of that move?”  
“How did you know he was going to do that?”

Ryou smiled, but soon the excitement settled down, and the field was cleared for the next pair of sword-fighters.

Ryou sat himself down on a stool, taking off his armor for the moment so he wouldn’t overheat. Ushio approached him, his expression still hard to read.

“I’ve never seen you before,” He said, narrowing his eyes, “And I know _everyone_ that’s competing. Who are you?”

Ryou raised a brow, opening his mouth to start giving a mouthful of lies, but Malik suddenly swooped in and lightly shoved Ushio out of the way.

“Don’t crowd him, alright? He doesn’t owe you anything. All you need to know is he beat you.” Malik waved his hands, shooing Ushio away. “Now go. Let him rest.”

Ushio grunted and turned around to take his leave while Malik decided to take a seat next to Ryou.

“That was some cool stuff out there, Ryou.” Malik looked at him, noticing that Ryou was struggling with his breastplate again. He assisted him with a chuckle, and it came off in a matter of seconds. “Is that your thing, then? Closing your eyes?”

Ryou laughed quietly, shaking his head. “I really don’t mean it to be. I think I should still try to work on that, though.” He slid off the rest of his armor and leaned back against the wooden wall behind him, letting out a long sigh. “I think I blacked out at the end. How did he lose his sword?”

Malik blinked in confusion. “You blacked out?” He snorted. “That’s a shame. That was probably the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Malik proceeded to explain to Ryou what had occurred during that moment, telling him how he parried attack after attack and somehow, with some type of strength that didn’t seem to belong to Ryou, twirled his sword into Ushios and flung it to the side. Malik thought it might have killed somebody, but it landed perfectly on the sidelines.

“Woah,” Ryou breathed. “I didn’t even know that happened. How could I not know that?”

Malik shrugged. “Not sure. What I _do_ know is that you can’t be blacking out during the next event. You’ll fall off your horse for sure.”

“Heh. Yeah.” Ryou paused, suddenly sitting up straight. “Wait-My horse? Isn’t the next event another sword fight? That’s what they’ve always been, right?”

Malik shook his head. “No. They changed it this year. Didn’t you know? It’s jousting.”

Ryou yelped, looking at Malik in disbelief. “J-Jousting?!”

It was always two sword fights. Two duels. New opponents. Not jousting! He shook his head, suddenly feeling sick.

"Malik, I don't know how to joust..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a nice comment! Love seeing what u all think :-)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back to our medieval tale!  
> This one is a bit short, but be warned... it is packed full of information ;)

…

Ryou felt his mouth go dry, and his stomach dropped. This was it. He had made it this far, and it would be as far as he would go.

Malik looked at him in confusion, his head tilting sideways. “Really? You don’t know how to joust? Hm..” He scratched his head, thinking. “That’s weird. Where are you from, exactly?”

Ryou avoided eye contact with Malik, much too anxious to care about the guilt that would come after lying to him once again. “I’m from up North. We heard word through the neighboring kingdoms. I guess they forgot to tell us about jousting.”

Malik hummed with uncertainty. “Yeah… I guess so. That’s strange you didn’t learn that in your training, though.” He shrugged, then pat Ryou on the back. “Well, I guess I’ll have to teach you, huh.” Malik grabbed Ryou’s arm and hauled him onto his feet, practically dragging him away.

“Wait-What?” Ryou struggled to keep up. “What do you mean?”

“I _mean_ I’m going to teach you how to joust. Come on, you’re slowing us down.”

Malik pulled Ryou fully onto his feet and hurriedly led him to the lilac tent where they first met. Malik pushed past a few servants, making his way to the back. “I’ve got an extra shield you can use. They’ll give you a lance, but you can use one of mine if you want.” Ryou watched as Malik scrambled around the tent, pulling things out from trunks and wooden boxes that were neatly stacked in the back. The pile of stuff that formed in the middle consisted of some armor pieces, and two lances.

“You grab the armor and I’ll take the lances,” Malik instructed, seeming to be in a hurry as he started on a brisk walk out of the tent. Ryou picked up the armor, surprised that it was much heavier than he thought it would be, and followed Malik, trying his best to keep up with the other’s pace. Malik brought them back to the spot where they had practiced and met for the ‘second’ first time.

“Okay, now you need to listen to me,” Malik set the long lances down on the ground and turned to Ryou, putting his hands on his shoulders. He held Ryou firmly, his head tilting downward slightly so that they were making eye contact. “Jousting is really dangerous. Any wrong move and you’ll get yourself hurt. Got it?”

Ryou gulped and nodded.

“Good. Now, you know how the point system works and everything, right?”

Again, Ryou nodded, feeling as though if he gave a verbal response he might interrupt Malik’s important instructions.

“Great. And you’re actually pretty good with your horse, too, so this might not be as difficult as you think.” Malik took the armor out of Ryou’s arms and set it on the ground. “Most important is this armor. I doubt you have any at your tent since you didn’t know about jousting. You see this part?” He pointed to the left shoulder of the armor, where a gridded plate of thicker armor was placed. His armor, in particular, was tinted purple at the shoulder, while the rest was a very shiny silver. There also seemed to be a few dents in that area as well. “That’s where you want your lance to go. Always aim for that spot because-”

“I’ll lose points if I hit anywhere else,” Ryou finished, nodding along. “Yeah. I got that, but you were right. I don’t have armor like this. Not to mention I left my armor where we were sitting before…” Ryou looked over his shoulder in the direction of the competition field, thinking about the possibility of it getting stolen. Malik seemed to read his mind and lightly grabbed Ryou’s face, turning it back to face his own.

“Yeah, uh, no offense, but I wouldn’t worry about your armor being unattended. Everyone was gossiping about it being cursed or something. Not to mention it’s hideous.” Malik smirked when Ryou made a face, but he nonetheless continued with his last minute tutorial. “You’ll be wearing this. This is just a used spare. I’ve got new armor that I’ll be putting on after I sword fight.”

Malik then picked up the armor and started putting it on Ryou, explaining some more tips and tricks to move around in it more easily.

Ryou, while he was flattered to have a competitor help him in a dire situation, was keeping the fact that his brain was turning into a storm of anxiety and dread to himself. Every time Malik said the word ‘dangerous’ or ‘risky,’ Ryou’s mental time bomb would tick closer to zero. He’d been to jousting tournaments before, and he certainly knew all the rules. The only problem was he’s seen a lot of accidents, too. Of course, it’s much more exhilarating when merely _watching_ the tournament, but to actually be the one on a sprinting horse headed into a 6 foot lance wasn’t something Ryou thought he’d ever do. At least, not now.

Malik picked up a lance, holding it in both hands horizontally. “Hold the lance and get a feel of how heavy it is. It’ll be easier to hold on your horse, but it’s good to get used to the weight as is.” He watched Ryou follow his directions, then fixed his form. “Keep your arm close to your body and, really, just hold on as tight as you can.”

Malik put his hand over Ryou’s, further explaining some more tips and tricks to the game, to which Ryou wished he could wholeheartedly take in his words and the warmth of his hand, but he was just too anxious to worry about how close they were or how smart Malik was.

“Okay, I think you’re pretty good. I have to go back now, though.” Malik looked Ryou up and down, checking over him once more before placing a hand on the other’s shoulder. “My last advice for you is to fake it. If you let others believe you have all the confidence in the world, they’ll be afraid of you. It’ll mess with their head, trust me.”

Before Ryou even had the chance to respond or say ‘thank you,’ Malik had run off. He had to get back to the sword fights to take his turn and, inevitably, his victory. Ryou stood in place, watching him get lost in the sea of tents and people the further he went.

“What just happened…” Ryou murmured to himself, looking down at the lances on the ground, then at the armor he was now wearing. He frowned. Wasn’t Malik supposed to be competing _against_ him? Was he giving advice and lending armor to anyone else? Ryou thought about when he saw Malik hug his family, recalling the chilling presence of his father watching nearby. Ryou’s face started to sting again in a phantom pain, and he shuddered. Malik’s father would probably flip if he found out Malik was helping Ryou. He’d double flip if he recognized Ryou as the servant he accused of stealing. Hopefully their paths would never cross again.

In the meantime, as much as Ryou wanted to watch Malik compete, he knew he should practice as much as he could with the few tips he received. He wasn’t worried about Milk figuring things out as much as he was worried about himself. The horse was much smarter than he was, he was sure of that.

There was only so much he could do, though, before the announcement to prepare for the third and final round of the competition was given. Ryou picked his favorite lance of Malik’s two and took it to the stables for it to be paired with his horse. It was no surprise to Ryou that Malik had done phenomenally well in the sword fighting round. He couldn’t see him anywhere, but he heard word of it through others around him. In fact, the only names he heard being spoken of were his and Malik’s.

Ryou made his way back to the main area, checking for his old armor as well as to wait for the announcement of the next event. It seemed by now that all the swordfighting pairs had finished their duels, and the field was being cleared and set up for the last event. Ryou wished he had known about the change, and he almost felt as if it were a personal attack. He had worked so hard, practiced nearly every day, only to be told that the games were changed.

Ryou sat down next to where he had left his armor, looking down at the new metal he wore. He sighed. Jousting armor was ten times more expensive than regular armor on behalf of the thickness of the metal. The armor, the lance, the horse, the _training_... All of it cost money, and Ryou was almost uncomfortable wearing Malik’s extra armor. It was probably the most expensive thing Ryou had ever touched in his life. It only reminded him that games like these were meant for the rich. An exclusive club that he was never a part of, no matter how much he pretended.

Malik was nowhere to be seen, and Ryou guessed he was probably getting last minute pep talks from his family. Ryou got up then and peeked out at the crowd, trying to see if he could spot Yugi from where he was. It helped a lot knowing he was there, and seeing his face every time he went out on that field served to ease the anxiety of it all. Ryou’s eyes roamed over all the people, their faces blurs once he managed to spot Yugi. He was still in the front, watching the transition of equipment on the field. Ryou smiled to himself. At least, if he didn’t make it through, he could go back with Yugi.

Ryou paused at the thought. He actually never considered what would happen if the knight plan didn't work out. He supposed he would just go back home, apologize to his father, return the stolen armor, possibly get fired for stealing equipment, and then… Then… 

Then what?

While the complexities of his mind were more than capable of digging deeper in that chaotic thought process, Ryou was quick to stop it all. Nothing would change if he was stuck in negativity.

He moved to sit down again, but the announcer suddenly began to do what he did best: Make announcements.

“All contestants, report to the field for further competition information!”

Ryou perked up and followed the crowd, where they all gathered in the middle of the field, looking at the announcer for further instruction.

“The third and final game of the competition is a test of strength. Jousting is a nobleman’s sport, and as such has nobleman’s rules. Only hit the shoulder piece. Any other area of the body that is hit results in a loss of points, or disqualification from the games.”

There was murmuring from the competitors, and they nodded their heads in agreement.

“Once all pairs have participated, the final scores will be added and discussed by the council and the king himself. Then, the names of the five winners will be announced. Further instruction will be given at that time.”

Ryou licked over his lips in anticipation. He wished he could fast forward to the end, to know what the final results would be. He’d been trying to keep track of his score, but the sword fighting had scores no one could see. It was anyone’s game at this point, really. Ryou had seen nearly all the men around him fight, and they all had serious potential. He was also sure they all knew how to joust as well.

“Now, these are the pairings for the final game: Jousting!”

The crowd cheered, and the announcer began to read off a list of names. Ryou closed his eyes, taking in a few deep, calming breaths. Name after name was read. He didn’t hear his until the very end.

“Ryou will be paired with Malik!”

Ryou’s head snapped up then, and his eyes were wide. They quickly scanned the area, searching for the familiar face that would now be his opponent. They both made eye contact from across the way, giving equal expressions of shock and confusion.

Ryou knew this would happen. He knew good things couldn’t last the way he wanted them to, be it with life goals or even friendships. Who was he kidding? How could he possibly have thought that he and Malik would be friends after all of this.

“The participants will compete in the given order. Good luck, and let the final game begin!”

Ryou watched Malik walk up to him, hoping he didn’t look as outwardly ill as he felt. Malik’s look of shock seemed to have disappeared, and Ryou assumed it was because he knew he’d be fighting against someone who was a complete novice.

“Guess we’re going to be rivals now, huh?” Malik asked with that same smirk he made when making jokes. He put his hand on Ryou’s shoulder and guided him along off the field. “Don’t think I’ll go easy on you now.”

Ryou shrugged. “No. I don’t expect that.” He sighed, clearly not as excited as Malik seemed to be. “You deserve one of those spots. I look forward to seeing you up there with the other knights.”

Ryou lightly brushed Malik’s hand off his shoulder and started to walk off in a different direction. Malik frowned, but didn’t let Ryou get very far. “What?” He quickly jogged to catch up with Ryou, blocking the path in front of him. “What’s wrong? Why are you so depressed all of a sudden?”

Ryou squinted, trying to figure out if Malik was joking or not. “Are you kidding? You know I don’t know how to do any of this. I’m finished. This is it.” He sighed again. “I was silly to think I’d be able to make it this far. Guys like you should be doing this. Not guys like…” He trailed off, mumbling the last few words, “Like me.”

Malik seemed confused. Then he laughed. “Wh-What?” His laugh turned into a cackle, but Ryou was anything but amused. He glared at Malik, his jaw set in place. Malik looked at him and nearly started up again. “This is too much for me. _You’ve_ got to be joking. What are you talking about ‘guys like you’? Ryou, we’re all the same. So what you never learned to play a stupid horse game. Do you have any idea how many people are afraid of you after today?” Malik crossed his arms, shifting his weight to one leg. “You baffle me.”

Ryou wanted to let Malik’s words make him feel better, but they just didn’t sit right. Maybe the stress was starting to get to him, but Ryou could only narrow his eyes in response. “What’s your problem?”

Malik’s confidence faltered and he blinked. “Problem?”

“Yeah. You’re not being honest with me. Why are you helping me so much? This is a competition. You’re supposed to be sabotaging me and getting inside my head like everyone else here. You didn’t even know if I was any good when we met, so why? Why did you help me?” Ryou wasn’t going to move until he got an answer, and he made that very clear in the way he planted his feet in place, his eyes holding Malik’s attention with both their worry and their intensity.

Malik, however, was just as persistent. He snorted, breaking the contact to roll his eyes very far back. “Oh please. Not everyone is out to get you. Don’t flatter yourself, either. I helped you because it was embarrassing to look at you struggling with your armor. As for everything else?” He scoffed. “Nobody made you take any of it. I can just as easily take it back as I did give it away. Is that what you want?”

Ryou, if he felt threatened, he didn’t show it. He squinted again, leaning in close to inspect Malik’s face, as if he’d find answers just by examining it. “Do you know something? Is that why you’re doing this? Is this all a part of some elaborate plan?”

Malik, very annoyed at this point, lightly shoved Ryou away from him. “Save it. I’ll see you on the field. Hopefully you’ll stop acting crazy by then.”

Ryou watched Malik turn around and walk away. It all happened so fast, and what Ryou thought might help ease his tension only served to create more within him. Not only would he be facing someone he briefly considered a friend, he’d be facing someone he upset. Ryou thought it best he sit until his turn came. It had been a long day, and Ryou was starting to lose his hopeful spark.

…

The second to last pair had completed their competition. Ryou watched as wood shards and other debris were cleared off the field. It had been an exciting battle, and the scores were very close. That is, until the loser was knocked off his horse. Ryou had cringed when he saw it, for he knew if anything, that would be him.

He looked around to find sight of Malik, but he must have moved to the other side of the field to get ready. Ryou stood, holding Milk by the reins as he watched the clean up. The man that had fallen limped past Ryou, and he swore he heard the man groaning in pain. Closing his eyes, Ryou took in a deep breath. It was time to mount his horse and get ready for his turn. He gave Milk a gentle pat on the nose, then climbed on top of her.

A few minutes later, he was being guided out to the middle of the field, and a lance, one of Malik’s, was handed to him. He sat in place on the right side of the wall made out of wooden beams and multicolored flags. Then, he saw Malik come from the other side. His horse looked so much bigger than Ryou remembered, and his armor was just as elegant as it was intimidating. It, along with his lance and his horse, was a chic black. Everything matched and looked right, and even the way Malik’s horse walked looked more correct than what Ryou was doing. There was a hush over the crowd, and it seemed that this last pair was what everyone had been looking forward to. Ryou wondered why he had been paired with Malik, trying to push away the irrational thought that they had done it on purpose because they knew Malik was the best, and Ryou was the worst.

Ryou tried to read Malik’s body language, but it was impossible with his armor on, especially his helmet. He couldn’t tell if he was angry, which would have been nice to know so that maybe Ryou might be able to prepare himself for the force of the impact. Once he, too, lowered the mask of his helmet, everything else ceased to exist. The announcer’s voice cut through the silence around him, and he once again read off the rules of the game. Ryou adjusted his grip on the lance, recalling Malik’s advice from before. Maybe, if he looked just as confident as Malik did, there would be less of a chance for error or mistakes.

“Let the final game begin!” The announcer shouted, and all at once, Ryou’s body shook with anxiety and adrenaline. He felt his palms grow sweaty, and sweat dripped down the back of his neck in an itchy, uncomfortable sensation. The field was cleared of all other people except Ryou, Malik, and a man with a flag. Ryou’s eyes remained fixed on the flag, watching it’s movement. When it was pulled down, and the man moved out of the way, Ryou hesitated for a couple seconds before giving Milk the command necessary to get her to move forward.

Everything happened slowly at first. Ryou watched Malik’s lance inch closer and closer, time dragging on and pulling him along. Then they crossed paths. At once, time resumed, and Ryou immediately felt a sudden buzz in his shoulder. Milk slowed to a halt, and it was only after they turned around that Ryou realized the pass had finished. Malik had hit Ryou’s shoulder, leaving a fresh new dent in the borrowed armor.

One point was awarded to Malik, and zero was awarded to Ryou.

While Ryou knew that he’d be nearly stabbed with a six-foot lance, he hadn’t quite expected it to hurt the way it did. His arm felt heavy, and the pain was a dull throb. It was uncomfortable to say the least, but nothing Ryou couldn’t ignore. The two realigned for the next pass, and this time Ryou was determined to make his own hit.

The flag was waved, and Ryou didn’t hesitate. He readjusted his grip, his teeth grinding together as he embraced for another impact. The ring of metal filled his ears, and he felt his lance get lighter. When he settled and steered his horse around, Ryou realized then that both their lances had broken, allotting both of them five points. The crowd seemed to greatly enjoy this incident, and they cheered for them. It was a fast turnaround, and the other pairs had only done 3 passes, excepting those that resulted in a tie. While to a crowd, it seemed to be going fast, to Ryou it felt excruciatingly slow.

Especially during the third pass. He knew he had a chance to catch up, for Malik was only ahead by one point, but something felt off. Ryou stared at Malik from across the field, trying to study him. The force of their impact was greater this time, and it might have been because Ryou was able to get a faster speed out of Milk, but Ryou had a hunch it was because Malik was holding back before. Surely that wasn’t nearly as hard as Malik could hit, either. There was more power there, and Malik was saving it. With this thought in mind, Ryou accepted the new lance offered to him and waited for the flag to be waved once more.

The third pass happened in an instant. The horses took off, Ryou aimed his lance, and hoped for the best. He felt a pressure, indicating his lance had hit something, and he was surprised to find that he’d actually hit Malik, earning himself a point. Ryou turned his horse around, trying to see if Malik seemed at all upset, but couldn’t find anything to indicate that he was. Maybe Malik wasn’t as good as Ryou thought he was. Maybe Ryou was actually better at this than he thought he would be.

_Maybe_ , He thought, _Maybe I have a chance._

Their scores were tied, resulting in one, final pass as a tiebreaker. Considering he hadn’t been doing too awful, Ryou felt maybe he’d caught on. Malik’s advice seemed to be coming in handy. Ryou wished he hadn’t had to use it against Malik himself, but he supposed things could have been worse off.

Once again, the crowd grew quiet, but Ryou didn’t pay much attention to that. He listened to his heart beating, for the sound seemed to echo inside his hollow helmet. Ryou’s fingers tightened their grip on the handle of the lance, and his eyes focused on the gridded armor plate on Malik’s shoulder. He licked his lips and swallowed a nervous lump in his throat. The flag went up, and then was waved back down. Ryou snapped the reins with one hand, keeping his eyes on his target. They inched closer, closer, and closer until Ryou couldn’t see anything anymore.

His vision was no longer clear. The wind was knocked out of him, and he no longer felt or heard the rhythm of his horse running. Ryou realized then that his eyes were closed, but he didn’t want to open them. He knew where he was. He knew what had happened.

It only took a split second. Malik had knocked Ryou off his horse, and now Ryou was laying on the ground, his minor injuries slowly making themselves known as the time passed. Shoulder pain, back pain, and an ache in his right arm. Slowly, Ryou sat up, and somebody rushed to his side to help him stand. Ryou stood, and he felt his throat tighten. Not because he was hurt there, but because he knew what this all meant. Malik, because he knocked Ryou off his horse, received ten points, making him the winner.

When Ryou realized this, it seemed that all the surrounding noise flooded back into his ears, and Ryou took his helmet off to make the sound stop echoing. Everyone was shouting Malik’s name, and Ryou turned around to look at him. He sat on his horse, his helmet now removed, and he waved at all the people cheering for him.

Then, gradually, a small smile formed on Ryou’s face as he finally registered Malik’s strategy. Ryou shook his head, chuckling to himself. If anyone deserved to be a knight, it was definitely Malik.

As everyone praised Malik, Ryou decided to walk off the field. He was surprised to receive some nods and comments of praise on his way back, but he didn’t think much of them. The games were over now, and he had lost miserably. As if just remembering, Ryou looked over his shoulder, and he immediately made eye contact with Yugi. The other looked worried, and Ryou gave him a thumbs up. At least he and Yugi would have something to talk about now.

Tired and sore, Ryou took off the borrowed armor and returned it to Malik’s tent before he (or other family members) would come back. Then, he started to pack up his own armor and gather his things.

“The results of the competition will be revealed shortly! The king thanks you for your patience and wishes you luck!” The announcer shouted, once again catching the attention of all the competitors.

Ryou took a seat in the grassy area he’d previously claimed behind the tents, proceeding with poking and prodding different areas of his body to find out where the bruises were. Inevitably, there was a big one on his left shoulder, and it hurt a bit to raise his arm. His knees were sore, and there was an awkward bruise forming on his lower back. Ryou sighed. At least it was over now, and he’d be able to go home and take care of his injuries.

“There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Ryou looked up to see Malik standing in front of him, a hand on his hip as if he were expecting Ryou to give some type of explanation. He never gave Ryou the chance, though.

“What are you doing all the way over here? They’re going to read off the winners soon.” Malik sat down next to Ryou, seeing that he didn’t seem very eager to get up. “Why aren’t you with everyone else?” He asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

Ryou looked at him with uncertainty. He’d hung around Malik all day, and just when he thought he had him figured out, Malik does something unexpected. Helpful, confident, secretive, and now, seemingly reliable. Ryou just couldn’t wrap his brain around it anymore. He let out a long sigh, tucking some loose strands of hair behind his ear. “I’m sorry about earlier. I really am grateful for all that you’ve done for me today.” Ryou shrugged then. “I just didn’t think it would end the way it did.”

“What? With me kicking your butt?” Malik snickered, but then he realized that Ryou actually seemed upset about something. His smirk faded away and his brow furrowed in the slightest. “Really, though. What do you mean? The day isn’t--”

“I _lost_ , Malik. You beat me by ten points. There’s no way I’ll get picked after that. All the other pairs had close scores.” Ryou smiled, although it was somewhat bitter. “You’re just really good at this stuff. You’re supposed to be a knight. Me?” He shrugged. “I thought I could, but I should’ve known better. All the odds were against me. I’m not who you think I am. I...” Ryou bit his lip, debating whether or not now was a good time to reveal himself to Malik. If it wasn’t now, then it might not be ever. “I’m not-”

“Stop talking,” Malik quickly interrupted, standing up and looking down at Ryou who stared up at him in surprise. “What happened to you? You were so anxious to start competing and now you’ve been acting like you’ve given up. I know for a fact you didn’t because I just competed against you on that field and you utilized every single direction I gave you.” Malik shook his head disapprovingly, holding his hand out. “Come on. Get up. Let me talk to you face to face.”

Ryou resisted the urge to roll his eyes, for he wasn’t sure if a pep talk was what he needed at the moment. Nonetheless, he took Malik’s offered hand and stood, keeping his eye contact with Malik.

“Guys like you make me sick,” Malik said abruptly, taking Ryou off guard. Before the latter could defend himself, Malik continued on. “You do all this training, all this hard work, and you don’t even let yourself be proud of it. You’re too fucking humble, and it’s not good for your image.”

Ryou was speechless and all he could do was stare at Malik in disbelief, his heart starting to beat faster with anger.

“You finish an entire competition and you’re not even going to let yourself think you have a chance just because of _one_ event? Tch. Maybe you shouldn’t be a knight afterall. You’ll only start moping after every fight. Every battle will end with you not being satisfied, and you’ll end up bringing everyone else down with you.”

_”Shut up!_ ” Ryou shouted, unable to take anymore. He shoved Malik back and glared intensely at him, his nostrils flaring in the slightest as he breathed. “You have no idea how hard I worked for this! I’ve practiced and trained just as much as you have! I beat a guy twice-No, maybe _three times_ my size today and I’m proud of that! I deserve a chance just as much as--” Ryou paused mid-sentence for two reasons; One, he noticed Malik’s face was stuck in a knowing smirk. Two, Ryou realized he was starting to say things Malik _wanted_ him to say. Positive things. Positive things about _himself._ Ryou’s mouth hung open for a moment, and he got angry all over again, albeit this time was much less intense than the last. “Oh my god,” He licked his lips and simultaneously shook his head. “I hate you. I can’t believe I fell for that. I-” Ryou, his emotions coming to a neutral state, started to chuckle. “That was so stupid.”

Malik’s smirk softened into a knowing smile. “No, no. By all means, tell me how deserving you are. Tell me all about how hard you worked.” He, too, chuckled, then put an arm around Ryou’s shoulders. “Come on, Sir Humble. Let’s go wait with the others.”

And with that, Ryou allowed Malik to lead him back to the field. It certainly wasn’t the ideal way to make him feel better, but Ryou couldn’t argue with the fact that his confidence had, miraculously, been restored by Malik’s odd means of encouragement.

…

About an hour passed since the announcer claimed the results would come soon. The sun was already setting in the sky, and everyone, both audience and competitors, was sitting, patiently waiting for the king to make an appearance again.

“I didn’t think it would take this long,” Ryou mumbled, passing a canteen of water back to Malik. “Are the scores really that close?”

Malik shrugged in response, looking equally as tired as Ryou did. “Probably not. If anything, they’ve got to be doing it for the drama.”

Ryou nodded, although he didn’t quite understand what Malik meant by that. Did that happen often? Were important decisions delayed for the illusion that it was a hard one?

“How are you feeling, by the way?” Malik asked, lightly nudging Ryou’s elbow. “You’re still being quiet.”

Ryou playfully rolled his eyes. “To be honest, I’m not sure. ‘Really nervous’ I think is the best way to describe it.” He raised a brow then, wondering if Malik felt nervous at all. “You?”

Malik snorted. “Don’t be ridiculous. I probably have the finest scores out of everyone, no offense.”

Ryou watched Malik’s face distort into a frown, noticing that he turned away slightly. Ryou tilted his head, deciding to investigate a little more. “You’re not wrong, but you look unsure. Is something bothering you?”

Malik’s eyes darted over to look at Ryou, flashing a glare, but it left as quick as it came. “I…” He sighed and shook his head, “No. It’s nothing. I guess I am a little nervous after all.”

Ryou received the, perhaps unintentional, message Malik’s body language gave off as he turned his back to Ryou. He wondered if maybe Malik had other things to worry about. Ryou didn’t know the first thing about responsibilities in wealthy households, and maybe Malik had a lot of pressure on his shoulders. If they both became knights, Ryou figured he might find out more about Malik the more they got to know each other. _If_ they got to know more about each other, that is.

Although, it seemed that answer was soon on its way, for people began to stand up when they spotted a group of people leaving the castle and making their way toward the field. The posse consisted of the announcer, some royal court higher ups, and the king himself. They walked in a group, lining up neatly in the center of the field. Ryou and Malik stood at attention, subconsciously leaning forward when they saw the announcer take in a breath to begin speaking.

“After tallying up the scores, and a long deliberation, the royal court has decided on _four_ men to declare as winners.”

The announcer paused as whispers filled the air, everyone mumbling their confusion.

“Four? I thought there were supposed to be five,” Ryou whispered to Malik, who could only offer him a shrug. Ryou bit on his tongue. Less spots meant less of a chance for Ryou to have one. He dearly hoped his scores from the previous games made up for the loss in the third.

“Before the winners are announced, the king would like to say a few words.” The announcer stepped back, and the king stepped forward. Everyone clapped, it being a respectful applause from the nervous audience. The king smiled politely and waved.

“My loyal subjects, visiting nobles, and brave competitors, I thank you for coming to my kingdom’s tournament. I’m sure you have all trained your entire lives for this day, and I’m grateful you take the importance of being a knight so seriously. The title of knight is more than an honor; It’s a responsibility. A knight has duties to uphold, and that is why we choose only the finest of our noble young men to hold that title and the responsibilities that come with it...”

Ryou stared at the king as he spoke, taking his words with a grain of salt. He couldn’t help but feel as though he were being lied to by everyone around him. The king, the nobles, and even the peasants. The rules were set in stone, they said. Peasants can’t become knights. Peasants don’t have the capability to become something more than servants. Servitude runs in their blood, and their servitude is chosen by fate. Ryou closed his eyes, dwelling on his thoughts.

How cruel the world would be if any of that were true. Surely, fate didn’t intend for him to live a life of peasantry. There was something more there. There was something forcing peasantry to remain tame. When Ryou opened his eyes, the answer lied before him. The nobles wouldn’t dare let go of their power. They wouldn’t dare let anyone else except someone with the same name as them hold any type of power be it political or as simple as running a shop. Ryou’s hands tightened into fists, and he tuned out the king’s speech about nobility and responsibility. He figured it wasn’t meant for his ears anyway. Ryou knew what fate had in store for him, and he intended to prove his knowledge correct in just a few minutes.

“... And now, without further ado, I present to you the four winners of the tournament…”

Ryou was focused on listening, but he hadn’t realized his hand grabbed Malik’s in the process. Though, the other didn’t seem to mind, and the two lightly squeezed each other’s hand as they listened carefully.

“Jounouchi, Mako, Malik, and…” The king folded the paper list and handed it off to a servant. Everyone seemed to lean their heads in, awaiting for the last and final name.

“Ryou.”

Ryou’s eyes widened, and his jaw fell open. The hand that was holding his let go and he was suddenly being shaken back and forth. His brain stopped functioning for a moment and when he came to, he grinned at Malik and joined him in jumping up and down.

In the background, the crowd cheered with delight and flower petals were thrown onto the field. Everyone seemed happy with the results, excepting the left over competitors and the group of nobles. Nobody seemed to notice, but there were whispers among them, and the king’s advisor seemed insistent on telling him something, but the king just walked away. Whatever it was, no one would know, for the nobles disappeared among the excitement of the crowd.

“We did it, Ryou! We did it!” Malik exclaimed, his hands holding Ryou’s shoulders as they continued to jump in synch and watch the beautiful petals fall around them.

_I did it,_ Ryou thought, his smile wide, proud, and genuine.

_I proved them wrong._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a nice comment if you'd like! Thanks for reading <3


	4. Chapter 4

…

With the tournament coming to an end, those that weren’t chosen quickly packed their things and took their leave. The audience thinned out, and only friends and family remained to see their loved ones afterward. The four winning names were instructed to stay after everyone had left for further information, but to gather their belongings in the meantime. Ryou, having no tent or posse to collect or keep track of, left his bag of armor with Malik and carried around his satchel and sword. There was only one person he wanted to see now, and he hoped Yugi hadn’t left just yet.

Ryou squeezed his way past people leaving and packing, murmuring an ‘excuse me’ every time he accidentally felt himself bump into someone. Finally, he made it out to the empty playing field, and he saw Yugi standing in the same spot he had been the entire day, waving him over as soon as they made eye contact. Yugi jumped over the rope that separated the audience from the field and sprinted toward Ryou. They collided in a hug, circling around and stumbling as they caught their balance.

“Ryou I’m so proud of you!” Yugi exclaimed, still holding Ryou in a tight hug. “You did it! You actually did it!”

Ryou chuckled, gently separating himself from Yugi’s grasp so that he could breathe. “Thank you, but I couldn’t have done it without you.” He smiled at him, many memories of their friendship flooding into his mind at once. All the times Yugi had supported him, had stopped him from doing something stupid, and had encouraged him to do something stupid. Every step of the way, Yugi was there to help in any way he could. “I’m so glad you came.”

“ _I’m_ glad I came! That was the coolest tournament I’ve ever been to! I actually _knew_ someone out there and I cheered for you and you did so well! You looked so cool. I couldn’t believe that was you out there!” Yugi took in a deep breath to continue rambling, but Ryou stopped him, worried he might run out of air if he continued.

“Woah. Slow down a bit,” Ryou said with a chuckle, though his smile faded in the slightest. “I guess this means I won’t be coming back with you, though, huh.”

The energy between them quickly changed, and Ryou wished it hadn’t. He didn’t want to pretend it was all going to be the same, though. He would have to leave soon, and Yugi would, too. While Ryou was happy to have achieved a goal he’d worked so hard for, he didn’t take into account the goodbye. Not even just to Yugi, but to his father, his home, his job, and pretty much everything Ryou had known his entire life. He was entering a different world, and he wasn’t entirely sure when he’d be back. Ryou gulped as he recalled the last few words he had exchanged with his father.

Abruptly, Ryou pulled Yugi in for a hug, holding him tight. The other quickly returned it, patting him gently on the back.

Ryou closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. “You’ll check up on him, right? My father? Let him know I’m okay?”

Ryou felt Yugi nod his head, but he didn’t move to let go. They held each other for another moment, both of them knowing that this would be their last interaction for quite some time. When it felt right, both Ryou and Yugi stepped back, smiling sadly at each other.

“Promise me something?” Yugi asked hesitantly, breaking the long silence between them.

Ryou nodded once, and Yugi continued.

“Promise me you won’t forget who you are. Don’t forget about me, or your father, or my grandpa, or anyone else back home.” Yugi took a breath and studied Ryou’s face, not caring that it took longer than necessary. “Promise me you won’t forget why you’re doing this.”

Ryou looked back at him, noting the sincerity in Yugi’s eyes. Once again, he nodded. “I promise. I’ll never forget.”

With that, Yugi approved with a sad smile. The two of them hugged once more and exchanged their final goodbyes. This time, it was quick, for all that needed to be said, had been. The longer they would linger, the more the farewell would hurt.

Ryou waved as he watched Yugi disappear further in the distance, the latter waving back before turning around for good. Ryou lost him in the crowd eventually, and let out a heavy sigh.

It was time to head to the castle entrance to get more instruction from the king. Ryou’s moment of celebration didn’t last as long as he had wanted it to, for now he had to face a new anxiety; That is, the fear of not fitting in. Thankfully, he had Malik as company so far, but Ryou wasn’t exactly sure how to talk to him. It was mostly Malik talking at him rather than the two of them having a conversation. Not to mention Ryou wasn’t sure what else to talk about other than the competition and subjects relating to it. Surely Malik would get tired of it soon, and Ryou wasn’t sure how he would fair with a change of subject matter.

He had also hoped it wasn’t so obvious that all of his belongings fit into two bags. Everyone else around him had trunks, tents, and multiple sets of armor. However, at this point, lying about why he didn’t have very much didn’t seem like the worst thing he could do considering the huge lie that was floating over his head like a raincloud.

A couple minutes later, he saw the other three chosen men walking toward him. They met at the open drawbridge of the castle. The torches on either side of the castle wall served well to offer dim lighting as the sun set lower in the sky, making everything that had once been busy and chaotic seem as if it were always peaceful. Malik stood next to Ryou and the other two, Jonouchi and Mako, arrived chatting loudly about the highlights of the day’s performance.

“Oh, hey! You’re the one that beat Ushio, right?” The one with blonde hair asked, looking quite enthusiastic about it. Ryou recalled him to be Jonouchi.

“Aha… Yeah. That’s me.” Ryou bashfully scratched the back of his head, though the memory of seeing Ushio on the ground beneath him caused him to smile.

“Amazing! No wonder you got picked. That was the best thing I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been to almost ten of these things.” Jonouchi held his hand out, grinning as he waited for Ryou to shake it. “I’m Jonouchi, but everyone just calls me Jo.”

Ryou smiled, lightly grasping the other’s hand. “Hi Jo. I’m Ryou.”

Once they shook hands, it seemed that Jo had gotten distracted by a new thought, for he quickly sputtered out another event that happened to him to Mako. Ryou stood awkwardly, not sure if he should introduce himself to Jo’s friend as well, but Malik seemed to answer that question for him by initiating conversation.

“How does it feel being a winner?” Malik asked, although his attention was on inspecting his fingernails rather than giving Ryou eye contact.

“Feels pretty good,” Ryou said, though he frowned when he felt his stomach growl. “I hope they feed us soon, though. I haven’t eaten anything since this morning.”

Malik raised a brow in interest, nodding in agreement. “Yeah. Don’t think I have, either.”

As Malik continued to be occupied with his hands, Ryou became occupied by noticing Malik’s outfit change. His hair was down again, just barely touching his shoulders. His pants were a light grey, with brown leather boots up to his knees. What caught Ryou’s eye, though, was Malik’s white cotton shirt and silk lilac vest. The vest had the same symbol that was on his family’s flag.

“Can I ask what that means?” Ryou inquired, pointing to the design on Malik’s chest. “Is it an eye?”

Malik followed Ryou’s finger and looked down at himself. “Oh, yeah. It’s my family’s coat of arms. It’s supposed to be a take on the eye of Ra, an ancient Egyptian god. My family is from Egypt, and, as you can see, we are very proud of that.” He smirked, grabbing the hem of his vest and showing Ryou the shine of the golden silk that made up the symbol. “Pretty neat, huh?”

Ryou raised a brow, chuckling. “Yeah. Pretty neat.” He dwelled on this information for a moment, finding that he wanted to know more about Malik and his family. It was all very interesting. Nothing at all like Ryou’s family. “Have you ever been there? Egypt?”

Malik shook his head, looking disappointed. “No. My sister has, though. She went with my father before I was born. It sounds so amazing when she talks about it.” His mood brightened suddenly and he smiled. “Hey, maybe you’ll get to meet her! You’d love her. Everyone does.”

Ryou smiled back. ”Yeah. I’d like that.”

The conversation between everyone seemed to have died off, and the four stood in silence, anxiously waiting for the arrival of the king. The sunlight was nearly completely gone before they heard talking and murmuring coming from behind the castle doors. When they finally opened, the king smiled at his four new knights, bowing to them as they bowed back.

“Welcome and congratulations,” he said, looking over the four men before him. “You should be very proud of yourselves. I’m sure you’ve worked very hard and have trained for many years to be standing where you are, and for that I thank you.” The king, Atem, stepped to the side and gestured to the open castle door. “I invite you four to a private dinner with me. I’ll explain more about your duties later. I’m sure you’re all very hungry from the day’s competition.”

Ryou and Malik exchanged a glance, and Ryou could feel his mouth get watery at the mere thought of finally being able to eat. Jo, also seeming to be very excited about the dinner announcement, was the first inside the castle. The king caught up and led the way to the dining hall.

“What do you think we’ll be eating?” Ryou asked Malik, his eyes were wandering all around the hallways of the castle. It was very big, and Ryou never would have thought that he’d be able to go inside. Until now.

Malik shrugged. “Not sure. It’s usually chicken, but who knows. It’s a special day.”

The closer to the dining hall they got, the more Ryou could smell the food waiting for him. The smell alone was almost enough to satisfy him. The scent of hot, cooked, and spiced meat was something very new to Ryou, who had lived off of stews and soups his entire life. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw when the king opened the door to the dining hall.

A long table sat in the middle of the room with large chairs all around it. In the middle of the table sat a roasted turkey surrounded by many different assortments of vegetables. Side dishes of greens, creams, and spices fit into what would have been empty spaces between the cups and pitchers of wine. A fireplace on the far wall lit up the room with a warm, dim lighting, and knight armor was displayed on stands all around the perimeter of the room. Ryou looked to the others, happy that he didn’t seem to be the only one amazed by what he saw. All four of the new knights gaped at the display, and at the same time they all snapped out of their stupor and chose their seat. Ryou sat next to Malik on one side, Jo sat next to Mako on the other side, and King Atem sat at the head of the table.

They all sat in silence, afraid to eat before they were told. The king watched them in confusion for a moment before he realized what they were doing. He chuckled. “Go on, eat. Don’t let it go to waste.”

All at once, they reached their hands in and picked out one of everything. Ryou shamelessly filled his plate, for his stomach was doing the thinking for him. He grabbed a turkey leg and took a huge bite out of it, only focused on consumption until he felt eyes watching him. He paused, finished chewing, and swallowed before slowly turning to the right. Malik’s lilac eyes were lidded in amusement, his lips adorning their signature smirk. Ryou felt his face grow warm and he quickly put the turkey leg back on his plate, wiping his fingers on the cloth napkin (another a luxury he’d never had before) that sat under his plate.

“By all means, Ryou, eat,” Malik sneered, not taking his eyes off Ryou, especially when the other tried to hide behind his hair. “Don’t let me stop you from having a good time.”

Ryou sunk down in his chair when he heard snickering from the other side of the table, and from that point forward decided to pace himself. Albeit, his pacing was certainly much faster than everyone else’s, which inevitably led to Ryou finishing his meal first. He did so, though, with dignity, and for the first time in his life found out what it felt like to be full. In fact, he had never known it possible for his body to not want any more food after just one meal.

“Woah, you’re done already?” Jo laughed and shook his head. “We should race next time. I didn’t think there was anyone out there that could eat faster than me.”

Ryou chuckled as he wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb. “Heh, you’re on.”

Malik snorted and rolled his eyes. “Gross. What are you, peasants? Your appetites shouldn’t be so gluttonous.” He continued eating, his own plate containing only vegetables.

Jo rolled his eyes and Ryou sat up straighter in his chair, folding his hands over his lap. He watched Malik out the corner of his eye, nibbling his lip. Every time Ryou felt comfortable around him, Malik would make a comment like that, and it would all feel cold again. Each one of his classist insults brought back the bitter memory of Malik introducing himself without even realizing he’d already met Ryou. Ryou let out a quiet sigh and switched his gaze to his hands. Frankly, he had no idea having a big appetite was something only peasants had. It made him wonder if there were any other characteristics he had that were ‘peasant stereotypes,’ and he wondered if Malik had caught any of them before. Surely, if he did, he would have said so, but this did not ease Ryou’s mind for the future. He made the conscious decision to be more careful about his actions.

Once everyone had finished their meals, they began chatting about the day, giving and taking compliments on their performance. The king listened quietly, enjoying the fact that he was witnessing a growing camaraderie among his knights. When it sounded like they had all run out of things to talk about, that was when he spoke up.

“That was an excellent meal, yes?”

The four guests quickly turned their heads to face Atem, nodding in agreement. He chuckled.

“You don’t need to be so tense around me. Your hesitation is understandable, though. We’ll grow closer over time.” Atem cleared his throat and tapped his fingers on the table, taking a moment to think. The room was quiet enough that the fire could be heard crackling softly in the background. Atem nodded to himself before he looked up at his company once more. “I’m sure you’re all wondering what happens from here. I’ll tell you now.”

He stood from his chair to speak, his eyes once again roaming over the four men he had chosen that afternoon. “You’ll be staying here, in the castle. Tomorrow morning, your training will begin immediately. Your superiors will assign you some tasks, and you will complete them as ordered.” He paused, then smiled. “The more tasks you complete, the closer you become to being trusted with bigger jobs. Remember, being a knight isn’t about fighting. It’s about-”

“Nobility,” Ryou mumbled, not realizing he had done so aloud until he looked up from the table to see four pairs of eyes on him.

The king raised a brow, tilting his head to the side in curiosity. “Well, yes, Ryou. It’s about that, but that wasn’t what I was going to say.”

Ryou felt his face grow warm once again, for hearing his name come from the king made him nervous. It was very unnatural.

“I was going to say that being a knight is about _service._ You’re providing a service to those who can’t do what you can do. A service for those who can’t defend themselves. Forget that, and you’ll have a hard time climbing the ranks.”

Atem picked up his cup and held it high. “Let’s toast. To service.”

“To service!”

Ryou held his cup along with the others, though he had trouble smiling along with them. He knew who the real enemies were, and he knew exactly the kind of people his fellow peasants couldn’t defend themselves against.

“To service,” he mumbled to himself before taking a sip of his wine.

…

The next morning, Ryou woke up to the sun shining in his room rather than the familiar sound of a rooster crow. He stretched in his bed and rubbed his eyes. He had been excited to be offered a bed to sleep in, not at all minding that he shared the room with Malik, who had seemed discontent at downgrading to something smaller. After the king’s toast, they had drunk more wine to celebrate their victory. Ryou, having never drunken wine before, had no idea the effects it had on one’s body. Specifically the drowsiness.

He turned onto his side to look at Malik, who should have been laying in the bed across from him, but his bed was empty. Ryou frowned, but jolted up in his bed upon second glance out the small window in the wall.

_Oh, no_

Ryou scrambled out of bed and quickly changed into the uniform given to him the night before: A white mid-rise tunic, beige trousers, and brown boots. He didn’t have time to think about how comfortable the materials felt, for as soon as he was dressed he bolted out of his room and raced to find the way out of the castle. He ran through the hallway for a good couple of seconds before he realized he had no idea where to go. His eyes darted around, trying to make sense of the floor he was on, but there were so many doors and the stairs were nowhere to be seen. Amidst his anxiety over being late, he just couldn’t remember how he’d gotten there the night before. He jumped when he felt something touch his shoulder, his body whirling around to see who it was.

It was a servant, and she looked just as startled as Ryou did.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” She said, bowing. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Ryou took a moment to catch his breath, staring at the woman awkwardly before swallowing and straightening himself out. “Um… It’s okay. I just-I think I’m late and I don’t remember where I was supposed to go.” He hesitated, lowering his voice in case any of his colleagues or superiors were, for some reason, around, “Can you help me?”

The servant looked up at him, surprised. Although, she was trying to hide her smile as she nodded. “The stairs are down the hall and on the right. I do believe they are in the courtyard right now.”

Ryou looked in the direction of the stairs before looking back at the servant, smiling. “Thank you so much.” With that, he ran down the hall and raced down the stairs, hoping that he wasn’t as late as he thought he would be.

The courtyard wasn’t hard to find, for it was directly behind the castle, and Ryou was able to follow others who were headed that way. When he reached the courtyard, the other three rookies were standing in a circle talking. For a brief moment, Ryou’s worry left him, and he casually walked outside to meet them.

“Hey guys,” He said, waving. “What’s--”

“You’re late.”

Ryou braked in his tracks when he heard the stern tone. He was afraid to look at who was addressing him, but braved the eye contact, anyway. The woman was scowling disapprovingly, her eyes fixating on Ryou and making him feel like the only one there. Her long, black hair was tied back into a long ponytail. She wore the same uniform as everyone else, her tall, lean body making it look much more superior. It seemed that she was waiting for Ryou to answer, but he didn’t exactly know what it was she wanted to hear.

“I’m sorry,” Ryou mumbled, the tips of his ears getting warm and red.

The woman gave a disapproving hum before turning her attention to Malik. “And you. Aren’t you his roommate? Shouldn’t he be able to count on you to wake him?”

Malik seemed taken off guard briefly, but he quickly composed himself and tilted his head upward, trying to seem taller than his superior authority. It didn’t work.

“Yes. I just didn’t think-”

“Ah! I see. You didn’t think.” The woman smirked when Malik glared at her. She lifted her head then and, in doing so, addressed all four of the young men standing before her. “Let that be a lesson to all of you. _Think_ before you act. Think not only about you, but about your colleague; Your partner; Your fellow knight.” She pointed at Malik and Ryou with her index finger and pinky. “Both of you will have extra chores at the end of today. Chores that have to do with responsibility and reliability.”

Ryou silently accepted his punishment, but Malik looked like he wasn’t about to go down without a fight. However, the woman seemed to see it coming and she spoke up again when it looked like Malik was about to open his mouth.

“Now, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Isis and you may address me as such. I am in charge of training _all_ our knights. Ask anyone above you and they’ll tell you about how I whipped them into shape. Treat me with respect and I will respect you in return. Is that all clear?”

Ryou, Jo, and Mako all quickly nodded their heads while Malik remained stiff, stubbornly keeping his arms crossed over his chest.

“As you all know, being a knight isn’t just about knowing how to fight. It’s about knowing how to take care of your kingdom. From this point forward, you will learn how to farm, to clean, to cook-- Anything that you don’t know how to do, you will learn it.” Isis put her hands on her hips, the sun glowing behind her. “Any questions?”

Ryou glanced around at his fellow recruits, and they all seemed to agree that no further questions were necessary. 

Satisfied with the lingering quiet, Isis pointed out toward the field, a smile on her face. “Now go find a job to do. Myself and others will be writing reports on your work and how well you do it.”

Slightly disappointed and mildly afraid, the four walked past Isis, Malik and Ryou walking side by side.

“Is it always like this?” Ryou asked, using the hair tie Malik had given him the day before to pull his hair back. “I mean, did you know that this was actually going to be our ‘training?’”

Malik shook his head. “No. My sister has been doing this for years. This is definitely something new. Probably a test or something.”

Ryou’s head shot up in surprise. “Isis is your sister? The one you were talking about last night?”

“Yeah,” Malik chuckled. “You couldn’t tell?”

Ryou looked over his shoulder to get a second look at Isis, and suddenly a few of his questions answered themselves. “Now I can. That’s cool you get to work with her. Do you think you’ll get any special treatment?”

Malik huffed. “Definitely not. She takes her job _very_ seriously. I promise she’s not all bad, though. She’s got a personality outside of working.”

Ryou nodded, keeping his admiration of Isis’ professionalism to himself. He definitely saw many similarities between Malik and Isis, even if he’d only met the latter briefly. They were both snarky, they smirked the same way, and Ryou was sure Isis was probably just as good, if not better, at getting people to do what she wanted them to as Malik was.

“Where do you think you’re going to start?” Malik then asked, pausing his walking at the same time Ryou did.

“Um…” Ryou looked around at his options, finding that most of the jobs were chores he would already be doing at home. He sighed softly and pointed to the stables. “I think I’ll go help out there. I enjoy working around animals.”

Malik smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Me too. Let’s see if they have room for two.”

Ryou nodded and the two of them jogged the rest of the way to the stable where they were greeted by an older knight. The knight handed them a full list of things to do before taking a seat just outside the stables. Malik and Ryou divided the work between them, and they began their first official day as knights.

The labor and chores were definitely unexpected, but for once Ryou didn’t feel nervous about anything. He’d fed animals, groomed horses, and had cleaned out stalls hundreds of times before, and it felt more like another day at home.

As the day went on, Ryou found it surprising to see Malik work so well in a setting like the stable. He would have assumed he’d be throwing a fuss when it came to getting dirty, but Malik was the opposite. In fact, Ryou had observed that Malik had some kind of connection to horses. Every time Ryou looked over at him, he was doing something for the horses: Sneaking them a snack, brushing their coat, cleaning out their shoes, and even cleaning out the stalls. Upon further reflection, Malik had voluntarily taken all the jobs that would involve interaction with horses. Ryou was left with replacing the hay, feeding the other animals, and other more general chores, but he didn’t mind. Seeing Malik enjoy his work was more than enough to leave Ryou satisfied.

…

Almost three weeks had passed, and the new knights were all getting used to doing their mundane tasks. They rotated jobs everyday, and it turned out that Ryou and Malik made a good team. Every new chore given to them was tackled quickly and efficiently due to the fact that Ryou knew a few tricks of the trade when it came to farming, and Malik knew how to groom a horse in record time. Combined, they were nearly unstoppable.

It was the middle of the week, and Ryou and Malik were, once again, assigned to the stables. There was always work needed to be done, and the two were always happy to spend their time there. On this particular day, the horses needed to be groomed, so Ryou took up the task of brushing the manes and tails while Malik offered to clean out the horseshoes. He worked best with the horses, afterall, and the horses seemed to take a liking, or more of a preference, to him as well.

Not much conversation was exchanged between them during the day, but Ryou and Malik talked practically all night every night. However, their relationship seemed to grow, yet remain stagnant at the same time. Their topics of conversation were never heavy, or even personal. They only talked about their day or things they liked. Malik especially enjoyed talking about the horses.

So, they worked in a comfortable silence, both focused on completing their job quickly and thoroughly. Although it seemed that this particular day was destined to be different.

“Hey, can I ask you a question?” Malik spoke up, keeping his attention on his work rather than turning around to look at Ryou, who had jumped at the sound of Malik’s voice, startling the horse he was brushing.

Ryou shushed the horse before replying, “Yeah. Go ahead.”

“Why did you name your horse ‘Milk?’”

“Oh.” Ryou found that that was all he could say. He stared at Malik’s back, his arm slowing to a stop as he put the brush he was holding down. Malik sensed an odd tension and turned his body slightly, catching a glimpse of Ryou.

Ryou hesitated. “It’s kind of a long story actually. I… Well--”

He was cut off by a knock on a nearby stall, both Malik and Ryou lifting their heads to see Isis greeting them with a smile.

“You two look busy,” She said, folding her hands in front of her stomach. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but it seems that king Atem would like to have a word with you both.”

Ryou let out a breath, relieved that his very long story would be put on hold. He actually struggled to decide if telling a personal story was more anxiety inducing than meeting with the king. He concluded that the scenarios were even.

When Ryou looked over at Malik, they shared identical expressions of terror and confusion.

“Why?” Ryou asked, “Are we in trouble…?”

Isis chuckled and shook her head. “No. The opposite, really. From what I’ve heard, it sounds like he’s got a special project to discuss with you, but that’s all I know.”

Ryou, still uncertain, walked out of the stall and stood next to Malik. Isis led the way out of the stable and they all headed to the king’s throne room.

“You’ll have to tell me that story later, I guess,” Malik said with a smile. “It sounded like it was going to be good.”

Ryou chuckled awkwardly and nodded, averting his eyes and choosing to look anywhere else but at Malik. It had been so long since he thought about home, for the work and company at the castle had kept Ryou’s thoughts occupied. For just a brief moment, Ryou had felt like he belonged there. Malik’s question, however, was a reminder that he didn’t.

Ryou was now overflowing with fears, exaggerations, and unwanted memories. He didn’t think that Isis would lie to them, but the thought of being discovered as a peasant continued to, perhaps irrationally, linger over him. Maybe Malik’s question was the universe’s way of foreshadowing the bad events to come. A drop of sweat fell from the side of Ryou’s face as he pondered the future awaiting him. The king would reveal his secret, Malik would snort in disgust, and everything would slip through Ryou’s fingers as quickly as he had grasped it.

Walking next to him, Malik could clearly sense Ryou’s anxiety, and he lightly nudged his arm. “You okay? I’m sure everything’s going to be fine.”

Ryou flinched, for Malik had pulled him out of his pit of thinking and back into reality. He smiled at him, although it was slightly strained. “Yeah. I’m just feeling a little warm, is all.”

Malik nodded slowly, but it was clear he didn’t buy Ryou’s excuse. He didn’t press any further, though, and they continued their walk quietly.

When they had arrived, Isis knocked on the double doors before pulling them open. They were huge, and her struggle made it clear that they were also very heavy. The way the light slowly made itself visible, though, added to the dramatics of it all and fulfilled Ryou’s assumptions on what entering a throne room would be like. As the doors were opened, Ryou could only see the silhouette of one figure at first, but when he entered he found that there were quite a few people seated on both sides of the king’s throne. The room wasn’t grand, but the paintings and banners made it seem larger than it actually was. The air was cooler, and it sent a chill down Ryou’s spine.

“Ryou and Malik are here, your majesty,” Isis announced, bowing to the king.

“Thank you, Isis,” Atem replied, gesturing politely to the door. “You may leave. I promise your brother will be in good hands.”

As Isis walked out of the room, Ryou found himself wishing she’d come back. Her presence made him feel safe, for she always knew what to do and what to say. What did Ryou know? At this point, nothing.

“I know coming in here is a little dramatic, but I assure you there’s nothing to be nervous about.” Atem stood up from his throne and walked down the three red-carpeted stairs leading to it, his purple cape dragging behind him. “I’ve actually been very impressed with your performances. You two have been helping out the castle quite a bit in such a short amount of time.”

Ryou tried to listen carefully to what Atem was saying, but his eyes wouldn’t stop roaming over the other members of the court seated before him. They just stared in silence, judging them. Judging _him_. When Ryou accidentally made eye contact with who he recognized to be the king’s advisor, he stiffened and quickly looked back at Atem, continuing to listen to what he had to say.

“What impresses me most is your ability to work together so well. You’re both quick on your feet, and that’s why I think you’re perfect for the job I am offering you.”

Ryou and Malik turned to look at each other before looking at the king in confusion. “Job?” They asked in unison.

Atem chuckled and nodded. “Yes. A job.” His smile faded into a frown and he let out a heavy sigh. “Well… I’m afraid I must confess something to you both. Do you remember how many knights were supposed to be recruited at the tournament?”

Malik nodded and answered, “Yes. Five, but only four were chosen.”

Atem grimaced, looking as if he were pained to hear the information he already knew. “Yes. There’s a reason for that. You must not share what I am about to disclose to you with anyone else.”

Malik and Ryou nodded their promise.

Atem opened his mouth to answer, but another man’s groan was heard from behind him.

“Oh, just spit it out! We’re broke! We’ve run out of money.”

Both Ryou and Malik’s eyes widened both from the unexpected shouting as well as the unexpected news. Seto, the king’s advisor, stood from his chair and walked down to meet them on the floor.

“We can’t even afford the four of you let alone your training. That’s why you’ve been doing the bull shit jobs you have been.”

“Seto!” Atem glared at his advisor, but it faded as quickly as it came. He turned back to the still shocked faces of Malik and Ryou, frowning. “I apologize for keeping this information from you, but we have to. If anyone were to find out, well--”

“There’d be riots, raids, an uprising,” Seto continued, his expression showing no signs of hope, happiness, or any positive emotion one could think of.

Ryou’s shock wore off, leaving him with an immeasurable feeling of disappointment. What did this mean for his friends and family at home? What did this mean for the entire kingdom?

“Those are all possibilities, yes, but…” Atem trailed off, and he examined Malik and Ryou briefly before continuing. “I have hope. I believe in this kingdom, and I believe in you both.”

Ryou blinked. “I-What? You don’t want--” He glanced over at Malik, confused. “Surely you don’t think we can fix this, do you?”

Seto scoffed, his icy blue eyes rolling into the back of his head. “Tch. Of course not. We’ve already come up with a way to fix it.”

Malik squinted, trying to add together pieces that weren’t there. “So… What is it?”

Atem took in a deep breath as he reached into a pocket on the inside of his cloak. He pulled out a rolled piece of paper and handed it to Malik. “We are doing everything we can here to stay afloat, but I’m afraid we’re going to need something much bigger if we’re going to make it through peacefully.”

Malik raised a brow and slowly unrolled the paper, his jaw dropping as it revealed itself to be a map.

“A crystal?” Ryou asked, brows knit in worry and confusion. “You… You’re not serious, are you?”

Atem smiled sadly and Seto turned away. “Yes, I am, but this isn’t any ordinary crystal. This map has been kept secret inside this castle for many years. Only a select number of nobles know of its existence.” He peered over the paper and pointed to an illustration of the crystal the map supposedly led to. There was writing underneath it, but the ink was slightly faded. “It could only be legend, but this crystal is said to grant wishes. If you bring it back, we would never have to worry about running out of money ever again. Better yet, our kingdom might be a more peaceful place.” He dropped his hand and sighed. “If it’s not as magical as they say, then at least the crystal alone would help us to restore some funds.”

Ryou’s eyes wandered over the map, finding it odd that the only place labeled was their own kingdom. It didn’t look like very much was known about the whereabouts of the crystal, for the marking was just a circle in a green area of the map. Upon further inspection, though, Ryou realized that he was familiar with the green area. He frowned and looked up at Atem, pointing to the map.

“We can’t go there,” He said, shaking his head. “That’s the forbidden forest, isn’t it? People go in there and don’t come out.”

Malik raised a brow, finding Ryou’s behavior to be odd. “Oh come on,” He scoffed, “I’ve never heard of such a thing. I’ve never heard of this sketchy crystal, either.” He eyed Atem, not liking the fact that there was no sign of a smirk or a smile on his face. “You’re not serious, are you?”

“Yes. His majesty is _very_ serious.” Seto glared at Malik and Ryou, towering over them effortlessly. “And I think you should be, too, when given such an important task.”

“Seto, please,” Atem cautioned, stepping in front of him to gain the upper hand of the conversation once again. “I know it’s a stretch, but we’re desperate. You would be doing your kingdom a very great service,” He paused, letting the situation sink in for a moment, “Do you accept this task?”

Ryou and Malik turned to look at each other, coming to a silent decision between them. Simultaneously, they nodded their heads and bowed low before their king.

“We’d be honored to, your majesty.”

When they stood back up, Atem shook their hands firmly. He informed them to start their journey early tomorrow and to take the rest of the day to prepare supplies. They left the throne room, and Atem followed, leaving his advisor and his court alone. Seto moved to exit as well, for it had been a long day already, but paused when he felt a cold, boney hand lightly grasp his shoulder.

“Seto… That young man next to Malik, he looks very familiar to me. Where is he from?”

Seto sighed heavily, slowly shaking his head. “I’m not sure, sir. His majesty chose him at his own will. His name was never on the list we made.”

The man, tall with a long purple cloak, nodded his head. “Hm,” he hummed, dropping his hand from Seto’s shoulder, “I see. Thank you, Seto.”

Seto watched the man walk away, rolling his eyes as he saw the golden eye on the back of his cloak shimmer in the light.

“Like father like son,” He mumbled to himself, walking the other way to find where Atem had walked off to.  
...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im so glad i got this one done by the end of the month! I'm making it a goal of mine to try and update this fic once a month :-) Thank you for reading and let me know what you think!! I love reading your thoughts and predictions.... >:)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the long wait! I promise this is a juicy one :-) hopefully it was worth it! hehe...

…

The sun had just begun to rise, and the air was not yet warm. There were clouds in the sky, indicating that the day would not be as sunny as one might have hoped. The kingdom was quiet, and the only ones making any sounds at the early hour were the two knights on their new journey. Their horses, nearly complete opposites of each other in both color and size, quietly stomped along the soft dirt trail leading through the town. It was completely empty and had it not been for the smallest hint of the sunrise, would have been completely lost in the darkness.

Ryou and Malik rode side by side, tired from the early awakening, but Ryou’s nerves were beginning to stir him into a full state of alertness. The only way to get to the forest was to go through the town, and he only hoped that it was still early enough to keep the townspeople asleep. He was thankful for the cloudy day, for it meant the morning sun would probably delay the awakening of many people, but there was still a high risk of someone seeing him and recognizing him.

He glanced at Malik riding next to him, smiling a bit when he saw the other was half asleep atop his horse. Ryou didn’t want to say anything, for he felt if he did he might awaken the whole town. It didn’t help that their armor and their packed bags clanked in time with the horses’ steps, sounding much louder than it actually was amidst the silence of the sleeping town.

“Are we going the right way?” Malik asked, his voice sounding a little groggy. It startled Ryou, causing him to flinch.

“Yeah. I’m pretty sure.”

Ryou watched as Malik rubbed his eyes, beginning to wake himself officially for the day.

“Hm,” Malik hummed, “You’re not looking at the map. Have you been through here before?”

Ryou blinked and looked down at his hands, confirming to himself that he wasn’t holding the map, only the reins of his horse. He shrugged, lifting his head to take in his surroundings. “Yeah. Once or twice.” He kept his eyes forward, focusing on the road leading out of the town and into the countryside where he used to live.

“I’ve never been here.” Malik also looked around, raising one of his brows. “I’ve lived here my whole life and have never been to this town. My father said it’s riddled with disease. I hope we don’t get sick.”

Ryou felt his face tense into a frown, his eyes not sure whether or not they wanted to look pointedly at Malik or remain on the road. He thought about being quiet. Not saying anything wouldn’t escalate the situation, but it also wouldn’t make things better. Ryou couldn’t deny that he wanted to scream at Malik sometimes. To just tell him that the things he learned aren’t true and that his friend, perhaps even his best friend, came from this ‘disease-ridden’ town and can do the exact same things that he can.

But he didn’t. Ryou sighed through his nose and gave a passive shrug. “I don’t think that’s true. I’ve never gotten sick coming through here. I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

Malik seemed to accept that as an answer, and they continued moving forward. As they approached the farms, Ryou felt his horse pick up her pace. Milk had recognized the town and recognized the way home. Ryou gently pulled on the reins to slow her down, patting her neck gently.

“Is she okay?” Malik asked. Ryou nodded.

“Yeah. Just got a little startled, I guess.” He shushed her gently, lifting his head to look in the direction of his home. He felt a tug in his chest, for it was undeniably comforting to see familiar landscape after being in unfamiliar territory for so long.

He wondered if Yugi was up yet. He wondered if his father was carving this early in the morning. Memories of waking up at this hour to feed the animals and check on the crops glazed over any other thoughts that Ryou might have had. He remembered making his father breakfast, helping him get out his tools for the day, and waving goodbye before he went to his job at the blacksmith. The more Ryou remembered, the less control he had over what memories his mind conjured up. It seemed they went a little too far back, and his breath caught in his throat. He was so caught up in his own thinking, he hadn’t heard Malik’s question.

“Ryou?” Malik frowned, raising his voice when Ryou didn’t respond or even turn to look at him, “Ryou? Are you okay?”

“What?” Ryou asked, quickly wiping his face before he turned to face Malik. “Did you ask me something?”

Malik stared at him, uncertain if he should press further on Ryou’s strange behavior or if he should leave it be until later. “Yeah… I asked to see the map. Are you feeling alright?”

Ryou nodded, glancing over his shoulder in the direction of his house once more. “Yeah. I’m good. I just got distracted,” He chuckled lightly, “It’s still a bit early for me, I guess.” He reached into a bag hanging off the side of his horse and pulled out the rolled map, handing it off to Malik. “It shouldn’t be long until we get to the forest.”

Malik took the map and studied it, seeing for himself that they were on the right track. He looked over at Ryou once more, opening his mouth to say something to him, but he saw that Ryou’s head was turned away again. Malik tried to figure out what it was Ryou was looking at, but shrugged it off. The countryside was beautiful and full of greenery, and even though it was overcast, the sight was rather beautiful. The hills rolled, the trees swayed in the morning breeze, and the grass was so thin, it looked soft. Malik wondered if maybe that was what occupied Ryou’s mind. He left Ryou to his pondering and the two rode in silence.

As they continued their journey, the gloom of the morning stayed with them. The sun, while it tried its best to show itself, was ultimately smothered out by gathering clouds, causing the air to feel cooler than it had been the past few days. A shiver ran down Ryou’s spine, although he wasn’t sure if it was from the weather or from the forest they were approaching.

The forest looked as though it had appeared randomly. The land in front of it was all grass, an open green field. The wall of trees before them stood tall, a fog gathering at their feet. The slightest hint of a path could be seen leading into the bundle of trees, but it was overgrown by plants and branches for it was rarely, if not ever, used. Ryou had never heard precisely of the crystal they were searching for, but he had certainly heard stories of the forest. They were more like warnings, cautionary tales to keep children from wandering off into the woods, but it was enough to stick with Ryou up to adulthood.

He’d heard of people following the path accidentally, thinking they would come out the other side at a neighboring town, but they were never seen or heard from again. There were tales of those that did brave the forest and had managed to come out, but did so completely changed, as if they had become an entirely different person. Ryou had a hunch that there was something sinister about this forest, and the fact that an enchanted crystal was hidden within it only further proved this theory.

Of course, those were all just stories and hunches. Ryou supposed that there were no facts to prove that this forest was cursed, haunted, or whatever it was the different stories wanted to say about it.

Ryou and Malik’s horses came to a halt on their own, seeming to not want to go any further. Ryou took the opportunity to turn to Malik, not quite sure if offering a smile was to be reassuring or unnerving. “Are we really doing this?”

Malik looked back at him, letting out a sigh and nodding his head. “I guess we have no choice. Our kingdom is counting on us, and the least we can do is try.”

Malik’s words were surprisingly encouraging. Ryou was sure he would crack a joke or tease him about being scared, but the more Ryou thought about it, the more serious he knew the task at hand was. This was the king’s last resort. He had completely run out of options and could only spare the expense of two newly recruited knights on what was probably an impossible mission. Did he even expect them to come back? What was to become of the kingdom if they came back empty-handed, or worse, not at all? Ryou didn’t want to dwell too much on the worst case scenario, so he let Malik’s words boost his morale. He clicked his tongue, and Milk begrudgingly moved forward.

The two knights were on the path, leaving their exit further and further behind.

…

The tops of the trees seemed to curve over them, the leaves and shrubbery so thick that they blocked the view of the sky above them. Ryou wasn’t exactly sure how long they’d been riding, for the light within the forest remained the same the entire ride, regardless of the trees blocking sight of the sun and the clouds. It was dark, but seemed to be dimly lit, as if there were invisible torches guiding their way.

Ryou didn’t want to say anything or even give any hint that he was nervous because he didn’t want Malik to feel nervous as well. It would only risk them getting lost. So far, though, they followed a clear, slightly evident path, and seemed to be following the map perfectly.

“Hey, Malik?” Ryou looked over at him, their horses coming to a stop. “Have you been keeping track of the time?”

Malik looked up, just as Ryou did before, pressing his lips into a thin line. “I tried to, but I can barely see the sun.” He sighed, rubbing the neck of his horse. Let's follow this path for a little longer and then we’ll take a break.”

“Okay,” Ryou replied. The trip had been too silent so far, though and he was starting to get uncomfortable.

Coincidentally, Malik was beginning to feel the same way. The energy between them was uneasy, most likely from being in the midst of mission impossible, so he decided to try and stir up some friendly conversation to keep their minds off of the uncertainty of it all.

“So, Ryou, you never got to tell me the origin story of Milk,” He glanced over his shoulder, flashing Ryou a small smile. “I’m still wondering.”

Malik wasn’t expecting to see Ryou frown in response, but Ryou couldn’t help it. Memories were sometimes good, but they mostly left him feeling hurt rather than fond. Not to mention telling the tale involved sharing family information with Malik, leaving room for slip-ups and mistakes.

Ryou cleared his throat and idly rubbed Milk’s neck. “Well, my younger sister was the one to name her. She said she looked more like a cow than a horse. Her spots got smaller as she grew, but when Milk was a pony she looked a lot like a baby calf.”

Ryou chuckled to himself then, cracking a smile. “She wanted to name her ‘Cow’ or ‘Moo’ but I managed to convince her to settle for ‘Milk.’ I thought the others might be a little confusing come time to feed the other animals.”

Malik smiled at that, letting out a puff of air through his nose in place of a laugh. “That’s cute. I didn’t know you had a sister, though. Was she at the tournament?”

“No.”

Any sign of a smile had disappeared from Ryou’s face, and Malik instantly regretted asking. From the looks of Ryou, his curt response and cold body language, this wasn’t a topic meant to be pursued further, but Malik’s curiosity was getting the best of him. He had known Ryou for a while now, but it still felt like they knew nothing about each other’s personal lives. Every time the topic of family came up, Ryou’s demeanor would change instantly or he would simply change the subject.

Malik didn’t want to hurt Ryou, but he also wanted to get to know him. He wouldn’t say it out loud, but he had grown rather fond of his tournament mentee. Ryou was different than anyone Malik had ever known. He never complained and he was always looking out for other people. Maybe it was selfish to keep pressing, but Malik also thought it might help to talk about it. Maybe they’d even be able to share something in common.

“Did she stay home, then?” Malik chose to look at the road ahead of him rather than stare at Ryou. “I didn’t see you with anyone. Who went with you?”

Ryou was hesitant to respond. He looked up at the trees above him as he thought a little bit about his answer. “Um, well...” He shrugged, deciding to take the passive route. “She died from an illness a long time ago. I was younger then.”

It certainly wasn’t an answer Malik was expecting. His throat went dry, and as Ryou shifted his eyes to look at him, he could tell Malik was struggling to come up with a response.

“It’s fine, Malik,” Ryou reassured, “You didn’t know.”

“I… I’m sorry.” Malik awkwardly scratched the back of his head. “I’m sure she’d be proud of you, though. Your parents, too, right?”

Ryou couldn’t hold back the chuckle that his body threw out as a reaction. He could sense Malik’s growing discomfort at losing control of the conversation and became aware that his responses were probably more alarming due to his attitude. He took a deep breath before continuing, making a conscious effort to lessen the load as it was passed onto Malik.

“I mean, maybe not as much as I would like. My mother died around the same time as my sister, Amane. And my father is…” Ryou half shrugged, for he was not even sure what the situation was with his father. “He’s still around. Not very supportive of this, though. I guess he wanted a different path for me.”

Malik nodded, becoming more comfortable now that Ryou didn’t seem upset with him for bringing it up, although he mentally noted Ryou’s experiences with familial loss. Of course it wasn’t something to dwell on, but it gave him a little insight into why Ryou might do some of the things he does.

“It’s good you didn’t let him tell you what to do, though,” Malik replied, clearing his throat as he lifted his chin up a bit higher. “We shouldn’t be taking orders. We should be giving them.”

Ryou was silent, mulling over that idea. 

Sighing quietly, he looked down at his armor and then at Malik’s. Ryou hated reminding himself that he was somewhere he wasn’t supposed to be, but the idea kept popping up whether he wanted it to or not. The concept of ‘giving orders’ was never something he could have thought about, and as much as he enjoyed spending time with Malik, Ryou recently realized that tight feeling in his chest that he’d been feeling every so often was envy.

Ryou wasn’t prone to being jealous, not when he grew up with nothing surrounded by people with nothing, but when it came to Malik, he became weak. Weak in the knees, weak in the heart, and weak in the mind.

Malik was everything Ryou wanted to be, with everything he wished he could have had. What made Malik so special? Why was he born into wealth while Ryou was born into dirt? Why did he get the golden armor while Ryou was the one stealing scrap metal?

He still thought about the first time they met. Ryou remembered clearly the way Malik had looked at him, and was honestly afraid he would look at him that way again.

However, even though he felt this way sometimes, Ryou held more positive feelings toward Malik than he did negative ones. Not to mention he was growing tired of thinking and talking about himself. He ignored the comment in favor of getting some information out of Malik. A fair trade of sorts.

“Ah, anyways, what about you, Malik?” Ryou looked over at him, offering a smile. “I saw you with a whole group at that tournament. Do you have a big family?”

Malik shrugged, feeling awkward about the situation, but Ryou’s smile made him feel better about answering. “Yeah, I guess so. You know Isis and my eldest sibling is Rishid. You might have seen him around,” He chuckled softly. “It’s kind of hard to miss him.”

“Oh! I’ve heard of him,” Ryou said excitedly. “I think I saw him in the tournament he was in a few years back. He was amazing!”

Malik nodded, though he gave Ryou a funny look. “You’ve seen him? Huh, you spend a lot of time in this area. I thought you said you were from up North?”

Ryou’s smile faded and he quickly nodded his head. “I-I am. I just…”

Well, it couldn’t be family. Malik already knew about Ryou’s shortage in that area.

“I come down to see the tournaments every year,” He quickly defended, perhaps a little too eager than he wanted. “Big kingdom, one king.”

“Yeah. I suppose that’s true.” Malik sighed then, shrugging one shoulder. “I don’t really know much outside of the castle, though. My father… He doesn’t think there’s anything worth seeing outside of where we live.” He looked around, gazing at the repetition of green and brown. “I guess he was sort of right.”

Ryou made a face, a mix of confusion and disgust. Malik didn’t speak much about his father, but when he did, it was never anything positive. It didn’t sit right with Ryou, especially when he could pick up that it was Malik’s father telling him all these things about peasants and where they stand. That is, in his eyes, they don’t.

“It’s not really any of my business, but your father sounds like he’s kind of… oh, I don’t know--”

“A jerk?” Malik filled in the blank, rolling his eyes. “Yeah. I think so, too. Isis always tells me he’s just doing what’s best for us, but it-”

“It feels like he wants what’s best for _him,_ ” Ryou, in turn, filled in Malik’s blank. “Yeah. That’s what my father always says to me, too.”

Malik flashed a smile, finding it comforting that Ryou could relate to him on some level, despite the little difference between them. “Do you ever get tired of it?” He asked.

“Tired of what?”

“I don’t know,” Malik looked down at himself, frowning once again. “Tired of just… Following the path made for you? I mean, we grew up already knowing what we were going to be. My family has been raising knights for three generations already. I never asked to do training, it was just expected,” He paused, “Sometimes I wonder if it’s any easier to be a peasant than to be what we are. At least they get to choose their trade, right? It feels like they have more freedom than we do sometimes… I don’t know. I’m just tired of following the path made for me instead of the one I want to take, you know?”

Ryou stared at Malik, trying to analyze all that Malik had shared with him. Ryou understood for the most part, but not so much the thoughts in between. How could Malik be unhappy? He had everything he could ever want, had high end training in combat and horsemanship, and a family legacy to go on top of that. Ryou just couldn’t fathom feeling at all ‘tired’ of that life, but then again, maybe it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Just as being a peasant might not be as freeing as Malik thinks it is.

“I think everyone is born with a predetermined path,” Ryou said, figuring it wasn’t worth it to be angry at Malik for what he said, for he hadn’t known any other life than his own. “It’s just up to them to decide whether or not it’s a path worth following.”

Malik slowly nodded, making a hum in response. “That’s… true, I guess. Ah, I’m sorry, Ryou. I didn’t mean to bring our spirits down.”

“No, no. It’s alright. Maybe we should just focus on our mission from now on. I think we’re both getting tired just by talking about this stuff, huh?” Ryou chuckled lightly, though he didn’t feel much like laughing.

They grew quiet, but the energy between them had changed. It was no longer uneasy, but comfortable.

They’d grown a little closer and felt a little safer.

…

Eerily enough, the light that made it through the canopies of the trees began to lessen, and hours of dim, evening looking light suddenly changed to cool, dark moonlight. Ryou and Malik looked at each other, startled by this unexpected change in the day. They were getting tired from walking, having given their horses a break for a while, and they were tired from having endured an entire day of travel. It was odd having the light in the forest remain the same the entire day, for it made them think they still had so much more time to move.  
It would not be wise to go any further in the dark, and so Ryou looked around the little spots of moonlight, finding an open area for them to make camp.

“How about over there,” Ryou said, pointing to a space clear of trees and shrubs, with fallen logs to sit on. “We can tie the horses to one of those logs and try to make a fire.”

Malik nodded in agreement and they walked over to the empty spot of dirt. It was strange. It almost seemed like they were supposed to go there, as if someone had made a path for them and provided the materials needed to set up camp. The horses were taken care of, and Ryou gathered a pile of sticks. They had brought a flint and steel, and Malik took the liberty of striking the metal piece against the flint stone a few times until the tinder of twigs caught fire. Ryou helped him to blow on it, and soon their pile of wood was set aflame. Rather than illuminating their surroundings, the fire only served to make the parts of the forest not able to be seen look deeper and darker.

Malik and Ryou removed their armour and neatly set it aside with the rest of their supplies. Ryou fished out a loaf of bread, and the two sat down near the fire to stay warm and to eat.

“I never realized how deep this forest was,” Ryou said, taking a bite of his bread. “It feels like we’ve travelled so far, but everything still looks the same.”

Malik nodded in agreement, tilting his head back to look up at the sky. All he saw were the tops of trees, with the twinkling of stars peeking out between the spaces of the branches. 

Ryou watched him, smiling to himself. He looked back down at his bread, debating whether or not he should try to make conversation, seeing that the last one they had wasn’t as comforting as they had hoped. Although, Ryou certainly felt more comfortable around Malik now considering they were finally able to share personal stories. It was nice to talk about something other than the tournament or the work they were doing.

As much as he tried to keep to himself, Ryou couldn’t bear to just stare at the fire any longer. He glanced at Malik out the corner of his eye, a smirk creeping onto his face.

“So, Malik,” He began, innocently keeping his gaze on his bread, “I’ve been meaning to ask you…” Ryou turned his head, resting it in his palm and leaning his elbow on his leg as he gazed at Malik.

He almost couldn’t finish his train of thought.

The orange glow of the fire complemented Malik’s skin perfectly, casting perfect shadows that outlined the other’s face. Ryou had, over time, become very aware of his attraction to Malik, and it was becoming increasingly hard to keep it at bay the more time they spent together. It always came when Ryou least expect it, in the best and worst of times. Malik would often catch Ryou staring at him periodically, taking it all in and flashing Ryou a wink.

Ryou just couldn’t tell if he was joking or… 

Well, it was silly to think it was anything else. It was far too embarrassing, and Malik would probably shun him if he actually admitted it. For now, Ryou was content with their back and forth teasing.

“Why did you help me at the tournament?” Ryou finally asked, batting his eyes.

Malik stared back at him, confused at first, but he smirked as he replied, “Didn’t I already explain that to you? You were struggling. I figured I’d get some community service out of the way and help out a rookie.”

Ryou snorted and rolled his eyes, sitting up straight. “No, no, no. That isn’t what I meant. That can’t be the _only_ reason. I mean, you stuck with me that entire day.”

“And?” Malik chuckled, shaking his head. “What are you trying to say?”

Ryou shrugged, slowly, unable to hold back his playful smile. “I don’t know. Sure sounds like you just enjoy spending time with me.”

Malik chuckled, giving Ryou a light shove. “Don’t go thinking I enjoy your company. I’m only here with you on orders.”

“I truly am the worst,” Ryou joked, taking a bite of his bread only to look up at Malik as he spoke.

“Hey, speaking of the tournament, somebody told me your…” Malik snickered, “You said your armor was haunted? What’s the story with that?”

Ryou nearly spit out his food as he started laughing. He had forgotten all about that, and had meant to mention it to Malik a long time ago because if it wasn’t for him, the thought never would have come to him.

“Well, you see,” Ryou stopped talking and nudged Malik, “Hey! Stop laughing let me tell you the story!”

Malik brought a hand to his mouth to muffle the sounds, nodding his head. Ryou chuckled again, leaning back against a log behind them as he continued his explanation.

“Okay, so do you remember that family you told me about? I think the colors were green and yellow. The one with the son who had a secret-”

“Ryou! You’re not supposed to know that stuff!” Malik exclaimed, though he wasn’t at all angry. He was still laughing, causing Ryou to start giggling and laughing as well. He wasn’t sure why he was, but the way the story was beginning was already absurd.

They ended up leaning against each other, shoulder to shoulder, to let out their burst of hysterics, slowly breathing in and out and sighing when they were done.

By that time, Ryou had forgotten what he was supposed to be talking about, and Malik was content to remain in the comfortable position, the corners of his lips curved upward as he smiled to himself.

Their bubbly, giggly energy had died down, for the day of traveling had finally caught up to them. The fire crackled and glowed before them, making the trip in the forest seem peaceful, as though it had been their choice to come here.

Ryou wasn’t so scared anymore. Other than the strange sudden change in daylight, the forest seemed just like any other. Crickets chirped, owls hooted, and a cool breeze would blow every now and then, rustling the leaves in the trees and creating goosebumps on Ryou’s skin.

Unintentionally, Ryou leaned in closer to Malik, finding that he was quite warm and would sometimes keep the breeze from blowing directly on him. Having eaten and laughed, Ryou found himself struggling to keep his eyes open.

Slowly, Ryou’s head lowered onto Malik’s shoulder, taking the latter by surprise. He looked down, raising a hand to lightly shake Ryou awake, but decided against it. 

They never got a chance to discuss who should keep watch, just in case there was anything to keep watch for, so Malik took it upon himself to take the first shift. Ryou looked so peaceful and calm, and having been his roommate for some time, Malik noticed that Ryou never looked at peace while he slept. His brow was always furrowed, and he always curled his body into a tense, fetal position. It didn’t seem like it was out of fear, but… stressed.

Come to think of it, Malik always noticed that Ryou was prone to pivoting and avoiding conversations, side stepping around certain subjects and personal information. After what they talked about today, Malik could see why.

For now, it was just nice to see Ryou with his defenses down. Malik wouldn’t have known it would be so comforting to be so close to him, but it seemed that way for the both of them. He was glad Ryou was the one to go on the assignment with him. Malik wouldn’t have wanted anyone else.

…

Ryou had completely fallen asleep, his breathing coming to a slow and even rhythm. Malik was having a hard time keeping the promise he made to himself to stay awake. His eyes were getting tired, but his motivation was to keep a sleeping Ryou safe.

His dreariness disappeared when a rustling sound interrupted the quiet, peaceful atmosphere around them.

Malik sat up straight, startling Ryou awake in the process. Ryou blinked a few times as he, too, sat up, bringing his hands up to rub the tired out of his eyes.

“What-”

Malik stuck a hand out in front of him, quickly silencing Ryou. He was listening, waiting to hear the sound again.

It was possible it was just an animal. They were in a forest, after all.   
The second time it was heard, however, Ryou was now at full attention. He looked over at Malik and they exchanged similar expressions of concern. Neither of them said anything, instead they listened carefully for any other out of place sounds. Upon the third rustling, Malik took it upon himself to stand up to investigate, having identified where the sound was coming from.

Slowly and quietly, he unsheathed his sword, slowly creeping toward a group of shrubbery. He saw the leaves move, indicating the source of the sound. He drew back his sword, ready to strike whatever was hiding within the shrubs, but froze at the sound of a plea.

“No! Don’t hurt me!” A voice shouted from behind the bush, and Malik watched a shadowy shape move and crawl out from behind the shrubs. It was a male, his face unable to be seen from under his black cloak, but wisps of silvery hair stuck out at the front. The man raised his hands in defense, and Malik saw the few rings adorned on the man’s fingers. He frowned, though he didn’t lower his sword.

Ryou quickly got up and ran over to see what was happening, keeping his hand on the handle of his own sword, but not withdrawing it from its scabbard just yet. He narrowed his eyes at the man, his head tilting to the side in curiosity.

He became nervous, for it seemed very odd that another human being would be in the forest with them. The man seemed harmless enough, though. He was cowering, clothed in only a cloak from what Ryou could see, and there didn’t seem to be any sort of weapon near him. What was he doing here? Why had he been hiding?

“Who are you?” Malik demanded, now pointing his sword at the man. “What are you doing here?”

The cloaked man slowly lifted his head, revealing his face. His complexion was a light brown, similar to Malik’s own. He had crimson eyes, although the right one was discolored due to the long, gruesome looking scar running right through it. Ryou visibly flinched at the sight, feeling bad for doing so after. It seemed the man saw him, and he chuckled softly only to cough after.

“I apologize for my appearance, gentlemen,” He began, bowing his head, “And for my intrusion. It’s not often I get very many visitors here, you know.”

Malik narrowed his eyes, surveying the man’s movements and analyzing his speech. One could never be too careful with strangers in the woods. “Your name,” he reiterated, pushing the sword closer to the man in a threatening manner. “I asked for your name and your business.”

The man nodded his head putting his hands up once again in defense. “Yes, of course. My name is Bakura.” He raised his head, looking at both Ryou and Malik as well as the supplies behind them. He gathered enough information to conclude that these two young men were knights. “I’m afraid I must inform you that you’ve trespassed on my property.”

“Your _property?_ ” Malik scoffed. “We’re in a forest. You don’t own anything here. What are you, anyway? Some kind of hermit?”

“Malik!” Ryou interrupted, finding they might not get anywhere with Malik’s quick assumptions and accusations. “Don’t speak to him like that. He could just be lost or something.” Ryou’s eyes shifted to the man, looking him over once again. His cloak was dirtied and had some fraying on the hems. His hair was a bit disheveled and looked longer than it probably should have been. Ryou concluded this ‘Bakura’ must have been out here for a very long time. Ryou would place his bets on years.

“Oh yes, yes,” Bakura bowed again, staying on his knees. “I’ve been lost for so very long. Please forgive me. This is normally where I take my rest, and I was not expecting to see others here, so I hid and watched you from behind that bush.” He lifted his head a bit, peeking from behind his bangs. “I was sent away many years ago, and I’ve yet to find my way out.” He paused, slowly lifting himself to sit upright.

His cloak slipped a little, revealing a part of his muscular, scar-ridden chest. He couldn’t have been that much older than Ryou and Malik, seeing that he had no wrinkles or blemishes other than the scars on his body.

Ryou wondered who he was, trying to figure out if he maybe looked or seemed familiar. Perhaps Bakura had come from his town. Ryou knew almost everyone in it, but there was a chance one or two might have slipped his mind. Although, upon second thought, he didn’t think anyone that looked like Bakura would be forgotten about. 

What concerned him most, however, was the fact that Bakura had been watching them. For how long? The thought sent a chill down Ryou’s spine.

Bakura’s lips slowly curved into a smile, his hands clasping together. “Won’t you please help me find my way? How lucky am I to have stumbled upon two brave, young knights in my time of dire need!”

Malik was quick to curl his upper lip in disgust, immediately shaking his head. “No. absolutely not. You said it yourself: You were sent away. I don’t think you should be going back anytime soon.”

Ryou felt his heart twist uncomfortably, a strange, uneasy feeling rising up into his throat. Although Malik had a point insisting that there must have been a reason Bakura was sent away, Ryou wasn’t so sure if the right thing to do was leave him here. Ryou knew what it was like being under the thumb of so many people above him, and he could see that Bakura might have had it similarly. He didn’t want to re-sentence this man to isolation if he didn’t deserve it.

“Wait, Malik, let’s hear him out,” Ryou insisted, moving to stand next to Malik now. “He doesn’t seem like a threat.”

Malik’s jaw tensed and his eyes closed as he turned to face Ryou, opening them as he pursed his lips. “He “doesn’t seem like a threat?” Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?” He shook his head. “No, Ryou. We came here to do a job, and that’s what we’re going to do. We don’t need some dirty peasant man following us around the whole time. He’s just going to slow us down.”

Ryou pressed his lips together, trying his best not to let his bias overtake him, but at this point he felt he’d heard enough. “Would you stop talking like that? Just because you’re rich doesn’t make you better than him, or anyone else for that matter-” As soon as he had said it, Ryou shut his mouth. “I-I.. I mean-!”

Malik didn’t react with anger, but with disbelief. He snorted and let out a laugh. “What? What are you even talking about?”

Ryou stared at him, frowning. “I just… “ He sighed and looked down at the ground. Perhaps this wasn’t the best time to start an argument, but Ryou wasn’t sure if he could live with himself if they were to abandon a poor stranger. Ryou had made a promise; To never forget why he had become a knight. What kind of a knight would he be if he turned his back on someone in need?

Ryou decided to take a risk, to attempt to drill some sympathy into Malik’s skull. “If it were me,” he continued, “Would you be talking to me like that?”

Shocked, Malik blinked. He wasn’t expecting Ryou to say something like that, and even thinking about that situation left Malik feeling… actually puzzled. That would be different. He knew Ryou. He knew he was nothing like this man groveling before them. Of course he wouldn’t speak to Ryou that way! He opened his mouth to respond, but Bakura beat him to it.

“If I may,” Bakura said, looking more so at Ryou than at Malik, for he deemed Ryou the safer option. “You said you came here on a job? What is it? Who sent you?”

Quite honestly, Ryou had forgotten Bakura for a brief moment, and his questions took him off guard. “I-erm..”

“That’s none of your business, peasant,” Malik spat, although he felt guilty afterwards. “It’s… It’s confidential.”

Bakura noticed Malik’s slight falter, his attention now veering toward him. “Of course it is. My apologies again. You have to excuse me, it’s been so long since I’ve spoken to anyone let alone noble knights such as yourselves…”

Ryou’s frown deepened and he gave Malik a pleading expression. The other looked annoyed, but he gave in and the two huddled closer to each other and further away from Bakura, whispering their next mode of action.

“Ryou, we can’t let him come with us. We don’t know what he’s about. We don’t know what he’s done.” Malik looked over his shoulder, glaring at Bakura momentarily.

“But-But what if he tells us? I mean, what could he possibly have done to deserve banishment?”

When he said it out loud, Ryou agreed that it was quite risky to let a stranger join them on their journey, especially such an important one that would make or break the kingdom. Leaving a man stranded in the forest didn’t exactly sit right with him, either though.

“Wait,” Ryou quickly added, “Do we even have a choice at this point?”

Malik opened his mouth to respond, but found that he came up short. “What are you saying?”

Ryou licked over his lips, lowering his voice in case their whispering wasn’t quiet enough. “We’re in his space. We can’t make him leave, and he can’t make us move. When we leave tomorrow, he could just as easily follow us.” He shrugged. “I think we might be stuck with him…”

Malik squinted, his displeasure coming to the surface as he came to the same conclusion. There was no true way to get rid of Bakura unless they… 

He glanced down at the sword in his hand, but quickly shook his head after as if to completely shake that thought away. He looked back up at Ryou, letting out a heavy sigh. “I suppose you’re right, but he has to tell us the truth. We have to make sure we know the truth.”

Ryou nodded in agreement and the two turned back to Bakura, surprised to see him standing now. It was unnerving, for they hadn’t even heard him move.

“Alright Bakura,” Malik began, approaching him. He had a couple inches over the other, and was confident to stand before him. “We’ll let you come along and we’ll take you to safety. _But_ , you have to tell us why you were sent away. The truth.”

Malik pointed his sword at Bakura’s throat, narrowing his eyes at him. “And if I feel like you're lying at all, even just _one _little fib, it’ll be the last lie you tell.”__

__Ryou was alarmed at first, but he kept to himself. Malik needed to take strong measures for their safety. A little intimidation would go a long way. Hopefully._ _

__“Oh yes,” Bakura agreed, grinning at Malik, though it was anything but polite or pleasant. “You have my word… What was your name again? Malik? You have my word, Malik.”_ _

__Malik felt bile rise in his throat, for the sound of his name leaving Bakura’s lips just felt wrong. Bakura held onto syllables, causing them to sound sinister. It certainly wasn’t helping with his credibility, Malik could say that much._ _

__“Please, let’s sit down for this tale, hm?” Bakura gestured to the fire, “Make ourselves comfortable for the moment.”_ _

__Malik and Ryou followed Bakura’s hand, deciding that it wouldn’t hurt to sit down. Ryou was the first to take his spot, and Malik followed, walking backwards so that he could keep his eye on Bakura, who had taken it upon himself to replenish the fire with more kindling that was sitting near it._ _

__They all sat across from each other, Malik and Ryou on one side and Bakura on the other. They stared at him, waiting for him to begin speaking as Bakura looked contemplative._ _

__“I was born into a poor family in a kingdom near here. Our town was often forgotten about, since we were so far away from the palace. We had nothing but each other, really.”_ _

__Ryou leaned in closer, listening carefully, while Malik still remained stoic and distrusting._ _

__“Well, my village was raided by a…” Bakura grit his teeth, his head bowing into his head as he glanced at the pile of armor set aside behind Malik and Ryou. “... A neighboring kingdom. Everyone perished, except me._ _

__“I was just a boy at the time, and I had nowhere else to go. I eventually walked far enough to find a neighboring village that was run by some nobles of the King. Speaking of…” Bakura raised a curious brow, “Who is the king now?”_ _

__Ryou and Malik exchanged glances before silently agreeing that it was harmless to answer._ _

__“King Atem,” Ryou explained, “He was recently crowned after his father died. He’s only a few years older than us. The youngest we’ve ever had.”_ _

__Bakura’s lip curled into some sort of combination of a smirk and sneer, looking both amused and disgusted at the same time._ _

__“I see,” he said, nodding his head before he continued to tell his tale. “Well, in that village I had managed to earn a reputation as a responsible young man for my work as a scribe to the lord. I was offered a higher position in the castle with the king. Of course, as any poor man would, I took the job.”_ _

__Bakura shook his head, sighing deeply. “I regret that decision very much. I was shunned at the palace for my status and was framed for a crime I didn’t even commit, all because of where I came from.”_ _

__Malik narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “What crime? When was this? I think we would know if something like that happened in the castle. I’ve practically lived there my entire life.”_ _

__Bakura clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Maybe you have, but you never would have seen me. You know how much of a scandal it would be if it were revealed that a mere peasant was working a high status job in the king’s court.”_ _

__Malik pursed his lips, finding he couldn’t argue much with that. The king’s court was full of secrets, of things that should never get out to the public. “Fine. And the crime?”_ _

__Bakura shook his head sadly. “It’s quite petty, really. I was accused of stealing some sort of map. Only a few knew about the map, and having been the scribe for the court, I was one of them. They found it in my room, but I swear I had never even seen it until that day.”_ _

__Ryou and Malik exchanged glances._ _

__“This map… Do you remember what it was?” Ryou inquired._ _

__Bakura shrugged. “Not sure. Some kind of crystal. I’ve been searching for it here ever since I’ve been banished, hoping I might find it and get out of here.”_ _

__“Isn’t that a coincide--”_ _

__Malik quickly covered Ryou’s mouth with his hand, ignoring his muffled protests._ _

__“And that’s the truth?” Malik stood up then, picking up his sword and pointing it at Bakura’s forehead. “You swear your life on it?”_ _

__Bakura grinned up at him, fearlessly moving his face closer to the sword, feeling the cold tip of the metal touch his skin. “Absolutely, Sir Malik,” He drawled in a hushed tone, looking Malik directly in the eyes. Malik wouldn’t dare stare at him longer than he had to, and he concluded that Bakura was telling some kind of truth._ _

__They may have to question him more to make sure his story would remain consistent, but Malik figured they would be fine for now._ _

__“Hm, alright,” Malik said, slowly lowering his sword. He had to admit, Bakura’s actions and choice of words left him unnerved, and he made the decision to remain keeping watch the rest of the night. “You may join us, and we will take you back to the kingdom. Perhaps even vouch for you and get you your job back.”  
Malik narrowed his eyes. “That is, as long as you behave.”_ _

__Bakura lowered himself onto the ground, bowing before Malik’s feet. “Oh thank you, thank you. I’ll pay you back somehow. I promise.”_ _

__Malik awkwardly stepped back, and slowly sat down, looking over at Ryou when he nudged him. Ryou pointed at his bag, silently asking permission to share their journey, to which Malik nodded. There was no point in hiding it if Bakura would be traveling with them._ _

__Ryou smiled and pulled out the map, slowly scooting over to Bakura. He had found his story quite relatable, and wondered if maybe he might be able to finally share his secret with someone. It was agonizing to have to hold it over his head on his own, and the thought of being able to confide in someone was relieving. For now, though, Ryou just wanted to make Bakura feel included._ _

__“Hey, that map you were talking about?” Ryou murmured, waiting for Bakura to sit back up again. “I think we… Well, I think we might have something in common.”_ _

__Ryou unrolled the map and leaned over so that Bakura could see its contents. Bakura’s eyes widened, his mouth hanging open. His hands moved shakily, his finger lightly tracing over the path on the map._ _

__“Yes,” Bakura whispered, licking his lips, “That’s it. That’s the one.”_ _

__Ryou became weary with Bakura’s reaction, thinking that maybe he was having some kind of bad flashback causing him to shake and mildly sweat the way he was. Slowly, Ryou rolled the map back up and tucked it away, offering Bakura a smile._ _

__“Don’t worry,” He reassured, “We’ll prove them wrong when we find it. You’ll help us find the crystal, and then they’ll see that they were wrong about you. They’ll see that…” Ryou hesitated, glancing over at Malik to see if he was listening. He had forgotten Malik was so close, and Ryou reminded himself to choose his words carefully.  
He lowered his voice to whisper, “Maybe they’ll see that everyone deserves a chance.”_ _

__Bakura removed his hood, revealing his mess of silvery platinum hair. He turned to look at Ryou, drawing him in with his crimson gaze. Bakura stared at him, studying his face, watching as the pale skin turned a shade of pink._ _

__He smirked, nodding his head once._ _

__“Yeah. They’ll see.”_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment if you'd like! Thank you for sticking with me!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up... this one is real juicy.....

Malik had managed to stay up all night, keeping his eyes on Bakura the entire time. He didn’t like the way Bakura was looking at Ryou the few minutes before they went to sleep. There was something about him that rubbed Malik the wrong way, and he wondered if Ryou felt that way, too. It didn’t matter anymore, though. Bakura would be accompanying them, and Malik was sure Ryou wouldn’t change his mind.

It was hard to tell if it was morning, but Malik had noticed the darkness begin to fade into a lighter grey, a morning fog gathering at the forest floor. He was very tired, but he knew they had to start moving as soon as they could in order to cover more ground faster.

He rubbed at his eyes before he stood, kicking some dirt onto what was left of their fire, snuffing it out for good. Malik looked at the two sleeping bodies on the ground, deciding to wake Ryou first.

“Ryou,” Malik murmured, crouching down and lightly grasping Ryou’s shoulder to give him a little shake. “It’s time to get up. We should get ready.”

Grumbling, Ryou rolled over and remained laying down for a moment, taking in a deep breath and stretching before he opened his eyes. He smiled, a puff of air leaving his nose in place of a chuckle. “You look bad,” He said, his voice groggy, “Rough night?”

Malik snorted and rolled his eyes. “Get used to it. You’ll be looking the same when you keep watch tonight.” He held out a hand, offering to help Ryou up. “Now get up. We have to get moving.”

Ryou took Malik’s hand and the two of them stood. Ryou stretched, looking up, down, and around to briefly remind himself where he was and what they were doing. He turned around and saw Bakura lying on the ground, his body covered completely by the baggy cloak.

Ryou moved to wake him, but Malik stopped him with a hand at his shoulder.

“Not yet. Let’s get ready first, okay?”

Ryou nodded, following Malik to their horses, their armor lying next to them in a neat pile.

“It’s tiring putting this on every day,” Ryou mumbled as he quietly put on his leg pieces first.

“Sure is. Maybe after today we can take a break. The forest doesn’t seem that bad, and it might be better for our energy if we leave it off for a day.”

The metal clinked quietly as they assembled it onto their bodies, helping each other, albeit Ryou was the one needing the most assistance. When they were ready, Malik went to check their bags and saddle their horses while Ryou went to wake Bakura.

He approached him quietly, not wanting to startle the other out of his sleep, but rather gently stir him awake. Ryou leaned down, his hand reaching out to lightly grasp Bakura’s shoulder, but before his fingertips could even brush against the fabric of the cloak, Bakura’s hand shot up and tightly gripped Ryou’s wrist, causing him to gasp.

“Ah.. Bakura it’s me,” Ryou murmured, glancing over his shoulder to make sure he didn’t draw Malik’s attention to them. This certainly wouldn’t sit well with Malik if he saw it. “It’s Ryou.”

Bakura opened up his left eye, his good eye, slowly letting go of Ryou’s wrist and moving to sit up.

“I’m sorry, Ryou,” Bakura said in a hushed tone, though it didn’t sound like he really meant it. “I’ve been so used to waking up on my own. You startled me.”

Ryou chuckled awkwardly, forcing himself to smile. “Ha ha, it’s fine.” He cleared his throat and stood up, pointing at the horses. “We’re going to be leaving now. I’ll split my breakfast with you.”

Ryou stepped back as Bakura got up and stretched, his joints cracking in the process. After cringing at the sound, Ryou decided to slowly turn around and head over towards Malik to let him know they were all ready.

Malik handed Ryou half of a loaf of bread, putting his own piece in his mouth as he mounted his horse. Their things were all packed, seeing that they hadn’t brought much except for food and extra tools, and they were ready to make more progress on their mission.

Ryou was about to mount his own horse, but upon second glance at Bakura, he frowned. He’d probably been walking around for years. Bakura’s robe was tattered and dirty at the bottom, a sign of wear and tear against the ground as a result of walking. His shoes looked as though they were being held together by threads and multiple holes exposed his toes.

Ryou led his horse over to Bakura, tearing his bread in half so that Bakura could have the other.

“Would you like to ride my horse? She wouldn’t mind at all.” Ryou smiled, forcing it a little more than he would have wanted.

Bakura raised a brow, looking the horse up and down.

“I’m honored,” He said, bowing to Ryou. “But I don’t believe a man of my stature should even consider riding your steed.”

“He’s right,” Malik quickly chimed in, steering his horse over to the two. “Just get on your horse, Ryou.”

Ryou shook his head, ignoring Malik and keeping his eyes on Bakura. “I insist. As knights, we’re supposed to be dedicating our lives to service, and this is a service I’d like to carry out.” He gestured to his horse once more, bowing his head. “Please, ride my horse.”

Bakura switched his gaze from Ryou to Malik, the latter’s hand tightly grasping the reins and clearly grinding his teeth in annoyance. Shrugging, Bakura lifted himself up onto Ryou’s horse, making it a point to smirk at Malik.

There was awkward tension between the three of them, Malik glaring daggers at both Bakura and Ryou. He clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes, quickly steering his horse in the other direction to establish himself as the leader.

“Whatever,” Malik snapped, “I have the map, so just follow me.”

Ryou, still holding the reins of his horse, didn’t bother to nod or respond. He simply followed Malik, leading Milk so that Bakura didn’t have to do the steering.

It wasn’t quite how he had expected the morning to go, seeing that the night before had been so peaceful between them. Ryou didn’t want to fight with Malik, but he was tired of being told what to do in regards to treating strangers. Ryou hadn’t seen anything wrong with letting Bakura ride his horse, and it was then that a new thought had dawned on him.

Often, in his speeches, the king emphasized knights being devoted to service. They had helped the servants in the castle do work the past couple of weeks as a result. Was that the extent of service? Help out when it’s beneficial? Ryou had thought it was nice and that perhaps Atem’s way of doing things was innovative and progressive, but in reality, it was most likely just convenient. The kingdom was broke, and there was nothing else for the knights to do. The servants were overworked, and with the knights helping out, things probably got done a lot faster.

Ryou wondered, then, if this crystal was worth anything. Would he be helping the kingdom, or would he just end up helping the wealthy? He wanted to believe that he was helping, that somehow he would be able to create change from the inside, but so far all he’d been able to do is take orders and see that they were followed. So far, everything Ryou had done was for himself, not for his father or Yugi. 

As much as it bothered him, Ryou didn’t want to think about it anymore, but instead chose to focus his attention on his surroundings. They were back on the trail, following what was left of a dirt path. The morning was cool, but the lack of sunlight made him feel tired.

Ryou’s eyes roamed upward to watch Malik on his horse and he frowned when he saw him. He was slouched, looking sort of like he had the first morning they left, but Ryou could tell that he was tense. He probably would have fallen asleep if it was just the two of them, but now that Bakura was with them, Malik was much more on edge.

It was reasonable. Ryou wouldn’t argue that being cautious around a stranger was a bad thing. He almost felt bad for agitating Malik so much, especially since he had stayed awake all night to make sure they were safe. Perhaps Malik’s behavior that morning could be associated with his lack of sleep. 

At least, that was what Ryou wanted to think.

Even though it had started on a bad note, the rest of the morning went smoothly. It was still quite hard to keep track of the time, for the only change of light inside the forest was a shift from grey fog to dim sunlight. Sometimes, splashes of yellow could be seen on the ground, the sunlight managing to shove its way through layers of leaves and branches, but other than that, there were no indicators of time to look for. 

Ryou guessed that it was about noon. They’d been walking for a few hours, keeping to themselves so as to not to disturb the already agitated atmosphere. Ryou wished that they could talk like they had yesterday. He wanted to learn more about Malik, to talk with him about their likes and dislikes, but Bakura was a barrier.

Or, maybe he didn’t have to be.

Ryou turned his head slightly to look up at Bakura, staring at him for longer than he probably should have. Bakura was full of mystery. Ryou didn’t want to admit it, but he did find Bakura’s story interesting. He had never heard of any village getting attacked in their kingdom, for if their kings and lords were good at anything, they were good at keeping the peace between themselves and outside kingdoms.

Of course, Ryou believed Bakura. He wasn’t going to question his backstory for the most part, but he felt as though some information might have been left out. From the looks of the scar on Bakura’s face, it had happened long ago. Long before he would have been banished. Some other scars that Ryou sometimes got a glimpse of looked a little more pale than the one on Bakura’s face, but still, it was clear they had been there a long time. It was morbid, and maybe even a little insensitive, but Ryou couldn’t help but wonder how they got there.

Rather than thinking of Bakura as some kind of obstacle keeping him from Malik, Ryou decided to try and initiate a conversation, hoping that maybe it would help Malik to see that Bakura was just like any other person. Maybe they’d even find something in common.

“Um… Bakura,” Ryou began, his voice sounding a little too high pitched for his liking, “Have you ever seen anyone here before? Besides us, I mean.”

Ryou’s voice stuck out in the silence, drilling into all their ears, even his own. It felt wrong and the question was unnecessary, but Ryou remained hopeful.

Bakura hummed, tilting his head upward as he thought about his answer. “I don’t believe so, no. Not many people are eager to enter this forest. Have you heard the stories?”

Ryou shrugged, taking note that Malik straightened up on his horse a bit. “A few. It’s kept its reputation of being creepy, but I haven’t really seen anything magical or out of the ordinary.”

He said it as though it were a disappointment, and in a way it was. No ‘magical’ crystal would be found in a regular, non-magical forest.

“Maybe that’s because you’re not looking hard enough,” Bakura murmured, leaning down closer to Ryou so that he could lower his voice. “Nothing is as it seems in here. I’ve been trying to get out for years. I’ve never seen anything look the same for longer than a day.”

“Really?” Ryou whipped his head around, looking at the trail behind them to see if it had suddenly warped into something different. So far, it looked the same. “Nothing looks different now.”

Bakura simply shook his head. “Nothing looks different until you need it to be the same. Until you want to get out. It’ll play tricks on you. It’ll make you think you’re close to the exit, only to turn you around all over again.”

Ryou frowned, opening his mouth to reply, but the sound of Malik’s voice came first.

“That’s bullshit,” He said, halting his horse and turning it to the side to block their path.  
Ryou stopped, gently tugging the reins as Milk became startled from the sudden action.

“You’re just trying to scare him. Stop it.”

Bakura sat up, smirking at Malik as he tended to do. “Maybe I am. It doesn’t look like he’s the one who’s scared, though.”

“Who do you think you’re talking to? I spared your life and I can just as easily take it away.”

“Do it,” Bakura challenged, crossing his arms over his chest. “You’d save me a lot of trouble.”

When it looked as though Malik was about to dismount his horse, Ryou quickly ran over to him, putting his hands up in the air as if that alone would keep Malik in his place.

“Malik, stop!” He shouted, only to spook the horses after. They stomped their feet and bobbed their heads, and Ryou turned around to tend to Milk before she--

“Ow! Fuck!”

Ryou quickly switched his attention to Bakura and raced to his side. Milk had bucked him off her back, and he fell hard onto the ground. Ryou could hear Malik snickering behind him.

“Are you okay? Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry…” Ryou gently placed his hands on Bakura’s shoulders, helping him to sit up. The other quickly swiped Ryou’s hands away, standing on his own and glaring hard at Malik.

“No, no,” Ryou said quickly, stepping into Bakura’s line of vision. “It was my fault. Not his.” He stepped to the side, turning his head back and forth to address both Malik and Bakura. “Can we stop this? We have a job to do, and this is starting to seriously holding us back.”

“I’ll say,” Malik sneered, “This could have been avoided if you just let me handle it.”

Ryou sighed heavily, shaking his head. “Yeah? So I can watch you two roll around in the dirt?” He held up a hand to Malik, growing tired of arguing with him. “Just stop. Let’s get back on track.”

Malik pursed his lips, feeling defensive now that it seemed that Ryou wasn’t on his side anymore. He nibbled on his tongue, telling himself to hold back, to just let it go and move on, but there was something about the situation that made him unbearably jealous.

Ryou was supposed to be _his_ friend. Ryou was supposed to back him up no matter what. Malik didn’t believe one bit of Bakura’s story, but Ryou fell hook, line, and sinker for it. Malik didn’t want anyone traveling with them, especially someone as creepy and rude as Bakura, who was telling Ryou lies and practically pitting him against his friend.

“No, _you_ stop it, Ryou.” Malik looked down at Ryou from his horse, hoping the leverage would increase his chances of being listened to. “You should be siding with me. We barely even know this creep! Look at him! He’s been staring at you the entire ride. Haven’t you noticed?”

Ryou felt his skin grow hot from embarrassment, though he also felt a little sick. He resisted the urge to turn around and address Bakura because he wasn’t exactly the issue at the moment.

“Malik,” Ryou said with a sigh, “I can’t stand it when you talk like that.”

Malik was taken off guard. “I… Talk like what?”

Ryou closed his eyes, suppressing the urge to shout his argument in favor of presenting it in a way that would hopefully prevent the situation from escalating.

“You just… You keep saying things about people you don’t even know. You think that all people lower than you are less than you and that’s just-” Ryou’s voice lowered into a quiet mumble, “It’s not true.”

Malik was quiet, processing the information. He stared at Ryou, not sure if he should be mad at him or if he should question him.

“You’re joking, right?” Malik scoffed. “Ryou, people like him need to be put in their place. His role is to serve, and ours is to command. We can’t have him holding us back with his silly stories and lies.”

Ryou felt his fingernails dig into his palms, his whole body practically shaking with anger. He was about to explode, about to push Malik off his horse and yell in his face that he was so very wrong and that he had no idea how wrong he was. Ryou so badly wanted to tell Malik that he was no different than Bakura, that he had come from nothing and was still able to gain some amount of respect through hard work and no connections, but he didn’t.

In fact, the more Ryou stood in his silence, shaking and nearly boiling over, the more he realized that Malik’s words hurt him more than they angered him. It was insulting. Sad. Ryou wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to change Malik’s mind anymore, and the thought of revealing himself to Malik was, at this point, completely off the table. Who knew what Malik might do. Clearly, he had no regard for people beneath him, and no matter how good Ryou was at pretending, he would always remain in that category. He would, by default, always be lesser than Malik.

“Whatever,” Ryou mumbled, leaving the other two underwhelmed. They were sure Ryou was going to explode, but instead he tore his eyes away from Malik and chose to look at his horse. “I’m not arguing with you anymore. Let’s just go.”

His voice was strained as he forced himself to drop the subject. His anger subsided and Ryou was left with a numb, empty shell of disappointment.

Malik’s anger was also dissipating, morphing into a strange, uneasy feeling he soon recognized as guilt. Ryou didn’t even bother to be angry. He just gave up. It didn’t sit right with Malik at all, because the whole time he’d known Ryou, he’d never seen him give up at anything. Not at the tournament, not during their chores, and never during an argument.

Granted, they’d never been in one this heated; In a short shouting match with no one else there to stop them. It had always been teasing, small little things that could easily be forgotten about. This, though, was definitely not one of those things.

This topic kept recurring, coming up in conversation even before Bakura had come along. Ryou didn’t like to talk down to servants and the like, and it was clear that he would be making no exceptions for Bakura.

However, as guilty as Malik felt, he chose not to apologize. He simply gave a nod, motioning for Bakura to get back on Ryou’s horse before he, too, turned around. If it had been quiet before, then this must have been a completely new form of silence. It was thick, hard to breathe in, and could practically be cut through with a knife.

The horses’ hooves and the sound of crickets and bugs rang through Ryou’s ears, filling them and replacing his thoughts. It was too loud. All of it was so overwhelming, and Ryou’s emotions had to be released somehow, if not through angry shouting.

When they started walking, Ryou found himself having to wipe his face, tear drops floating in his eyes, begging for him to blink so that they could slide down his cheeks. Frustrated, Ryou let out a sigh, turning his head away so that Bakura wouldn’t see.

But it was too late.  
Bakura already had a front row seat to analyze the situation.

He saw that Ryou was the answer to his problems and that it would be important for him to remain on Ryou’s good side.

…

They walked further that afternoon with no more unwanted distractions. Ryou’s body felt heavy after walking all day with his armor on and his arm, the one holding Milk’s reins, grew numb because he had been holding it up for so long. All of it contributed to his exhaustion, but Ryou refused to ask for a break. He didn’t want to accidentally stir up the left over negative energy.

Suddenly, Ryou halted, his horse snorting as they stopped.

“Do you hear that?” He asked, no longer thinking about personal issues. Instead, he was thinking about surviving and taking care of his fellow group members. “I think I hear running water.”

Malik stopped his horse as well, remaining still as he followed suit in listening for the sound. Sure enough, he heard it, too.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Malik looked up, trying his best to determine the time of day. It still looked the same as it had earlier that afternoon, but he could sense that whatever light they had now would quickly disappear soon. “Let’s ride there, and we’ll camp by the river, stream, or whatever it is. I don’t want to get lost in the dark, and I think our horses could use a good drink by now.”

Malik turned around, making sure that Ryou agreed. When the latter nodded his head, they followed their ears and steered toward the sound of water.

“Is it on the map?” Ryou asked then, standing on his toes a bit to try and see the map over Malik’s shoulder, but it was useless. He was too high up.

“Let me look.”

Malik unrolled the map that was tightly grasped in his hand, scanning it over and over. The only things indicated on the paper were the dirt path and the possible location of the crystal. Some trees were drawn in to indicate a forest, but other than that little to no information was offered about resources or water sources. Malik let out a heavy sigh, wondering then if the map was even helping them.

“No. It’s not on here. It’s okay, we’ll find the dirt path again. So far it’s kept us safe and on track.”

With that, they veered off their familiar trail, heading into the mess of trees, grass, shrubs, and twigs. Their horses’ hooves crunched the leaves below them, and Ryou swiped branches out of his way, quickly growing annoyed at just how many there were.

The sound of the water grew louder and louder the closer they got, and soon enough they spotted the source.

Nestled in the middle of the woods was a running stream. The water hummed and trickled as it flowed between rocks and stones, splashing together in an inviting symphony.

Ryou felt relieved when he saw it. It meant that they could rest, that he could finally sit down, and his horse could have a refreshing drink of water. His mood had changed, and quietly he slowed his walking until he stopped a few feet away from the bank.

Bakura slid off Ryou’s horse, standing off to the side as he watched Ryou and Malik lead their horses to the stream before leaving them to drink.

Ryou wasn’t paying attention as he turned around, or at least he wasn’t expecting Malik to be standing directly behind him, and he bumped right into Malik’s chest. He blinked, getting a vivid sense of déjà vu when he lifted his head slightly to look at Malik’s face. Thankfully, it wasn’t distorted into an annoyed frown, but a sad one.

Before Ryou could side step out of the way, Malik placed a hand on his armored shoulder, holding him in place.

“I’m sorry,” He murmured, feeling self conscious knowing that Bakura was likely watching and listening to them. Malik didn’t care, though. He couldn’t bear the awkward situation any longer. “I didn’t mean to upset you earlier.”

Ryou squinted at him, deciding whether or not he wanted to accept the apology.

“I know you didn’t mean to,” Ryou began, eyes trailing over to look at Malik’s hand, “But you did.” Gently, he lifted Malik’s hand off his shoulder. “I just want some space. I’ll be fine tomorrow.”

Ryou started to walk away, but to show that he wasn’t as upset as before, he stopped when he and Malik were shoulder to shoulder, leaning closer to whisper to him, “I think you should get some sleep, though. You still look like shit.”

Malik smiled a bit, turning around to watch Ryou walk away. Relieved, Malik decided to get ready to settle for the night, and so helped Ryou in setting up camp. He hitched the horses when they had their fill of hydration and fed them.

In the meantime, Ryou set up the fire, and started to take off his armor, neatly placing it in a bag next to his horse. He could see the fire and Bakura out the corner of his eye, watching him sit and stare at the flames.

As he reached into his satchel to pull out some bread, the dim lighting of the forest made its quick transition into darkness, causing the flame of the campfire to look as though it had magically begun to glow.

Ryou approached the welcoming warmth, spotting Malik lying down off to the side. He was close enough to the fire so that he wouldn’t freeze, but far enough so that Ryou and Bakura could sit on the other side without disturbing him. Ryou quietly claimed his spot and sat down, placing his sword and scabbard down next to him.

The three were all on different sides of the fire, sitting quietly for what felt like a long time. A good couple of minutes passed before Bakura scooted closer to Ryou, glancing down at the other’s sword.

“Interesting sword,” Bakura inquired, pointing to it. “I’ve never seen a knight with something like that.”

Ryou followed Bakura’s finger, fidgeting as if he hadn’t known his sword was there. “Oh. Yeah, I guess it’s pretty unique.” He shrugged, splitting his bread in half and handing the other piece to Bakura, hoping that it would be enough to quiet him, but to no avail.

“Your armor is also interesting. It’s all different pieces from different sets.” Bakura leaned back, taking a bite of his bread as if he were having casual conversation. At least, for him it was casual.

Ryou felt anything but casual. His heart rate increased and he felt beads of sweat begin to form at his forehead.

“It’s my family’s. Every piece has been passed down in some way.” Ryou turned slightly, showing Bakura more of his shoulder than his face.

“May I?”

“May you what?”

“May I see your sword?”

Ryou took note of the way Bakura looked at him. He was always studying him as if he were some kind of specimen, tilting his head to the side as if he’d never seen Ryou before. Always watching him as if he were waiting for Ryou to make a wrong move. What was he supposed to do? Giving Bakura his sword would be dangerous. He’d just met Bakura.

The way he was talking to him though sounded as if Bakura _knew_ something. If Ryou refused, he was afraid he might look as if he were hiding something, which would result in Bakura prying even further.

Hesitantly, Ryou slid his hand over to grasp his scabbard, his eyes fixed on the slow rise and fall of Malik’s sides (an indication that he was well into his sleep) as he lifted the sword and handed it off to Bakura. If Malik knew, or were to see what Ryou was doing, he’d be horrified. Livid. Ryou would have to agree with him on that one. It was incredibly stupid to hand his sword over to a stranger, but, honestly, Bakura seemed harmless enough so far.

“Hm…” Bakura hummed pleasantly, slowly pulling the sword out from its protection, squinting as he inspected the blade and the handle. He never took it all the way out and was sure to reseal it before he handed it back to Ryou.

“Were you a missionary at one point?” Bakura asked, taking another bite of his bread.

Ryou blinked, nervously licking his lips as he placed the sword at his side again. The question was specific to the origin of his sword. No one except a trained knight or a blacksmith would notice the characteristics of a sword like that. The handle and the size of the blade gave Ryou’s sword away as a decorative rapier, something to be displayed, not used in combat. Had Bakura seen that? Did he figure it out?

“No. Were you a blacksmith at one point?” Ryou looked pointedly at Bakura, it being a warning for him to change the subject. “You sure sound like you know more about weapons than writing. You know, for a scribe.”

Ryou didn’t expect Bakura to chuckle, but he did. He was completely unphased by the accusation. Ryou grew tense as Bakura leaned closer to him, feeling his breath against the skin of his neck.

“Maybe I wasn’t always a scribe,” He whispered, his hands reaching up to grasp Ryou’s shoulders, preventing him from moving from his place. “Just like how you might not have always been a knight.”

Ryou’s breathing became labored, and he worriedly glanced at Malik, making sure that he still looked to be sleeping.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ryou defended, keeping his tone as leveled as he could. “I think it’s best you get off of me.”

Bakura removed his hands, but he remained close enough to Ryou so that he could still hear him whisper.

“I’ll tell you my secret if you tell me yours.” Bakura caught sight of Ryou’s eyes, following their direction and landing on Malik. He raised a brow and smirked. “Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.”

Ryou frowned, turning to face Bakura and taking the chance to slide back and away from him. “I told you, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He narrowed his eyes then. “And you better start telling me the truth whether I share a secret with you or not.”

Bakura sighed and shook his head, looking as if he were hurt by that. “You don’t trust me?” He shrugged. “I guess I wouldn’t trust me, either.”

Ryou made a face, not approving of the guilt that Bakura was trying to lure out of him. He raised his voice a bit, no longer caring if Malik were to wake up and hear, especially if Bakura was trying to trick him.

“No, frankly I don’t trust you. I’ve been giving you the benefit of the doubt, but what you just said has made me question whether or not that was the right choice.”

Bakura smiled eerily back at Ryou, raising his hands in defense as he bowed his head. “Alright, I hear you. No need to wake the other one, now.”

He dropped his hands, taking a quick glance over at Malik before he looked back at Ryou. “I haven’t lied to you. I just might have more things to say that I feel more comfortable sharing with you than I do with _him_.”

“Fine. Tell me,” Ryou said, uncrossing his arms and relaxing a bit more, “But my patience is running thin.”

Bakura stared back at Ryou before he moved closer to him once again, silently admiring his soft, welcoming features. They were much different than his own, and not quite what someone would expect a knight to look like.

“I tried to be a knight,” Bakura confessed, almost abruptly, but he also initiated another round of whispering, figuring it best to keep their conversation as soft and unheard as possible. “I was for a while. Not a scribe, but a knight.”

Ryou’s gaze softened and he found himself being pulled into Bakura’s words once again. His palms began to sweat, but he barely had the energy to feel nervous anymore. The day had completely spent him, and it was getting harder to pretend that he was stronger than he felt. It was getting harder to keep his secret, especially when Bakura’s words had turned relatable. Almost exactly like his own.

It could be possible Bakura was still lying, and Ryou couldn’t tell the difference between his truths and his lies. They were all so believable and it didn’t help that his tired brain was having a hard time digging for faults and slip-ups in Bakura’s stories. He wanted to believe them, though, because it would be so much easier to believe Bakura than it would be to admit that he was wrong. To admit that Malik was right and Bakura couldn’t be trusted.

So, Ryou nodded, urging Bakura to continue his story.

Bakura smirked when he saw that he had grabbed Ryou’s attention, their eyes remaining locked on each other with the occasional glance over at Malik’s sleeping form.

“I wanted to… change the kingdom. I had been wronged and seen others be wronged for far too long. I wanted it to change. So I stole that map.”

“What? You-”

The rest of Ryou’s sentence was muffled by Bakura’s hand, for his voice was just a little too loud. Bakura shushed him softly and leaned in even closer to Ryou’s face. So close that Ryou’s nose scrunched when strands of Bakura’s hair blew with a cool breeze and tickled his face.

“I did. I stole it, but you understand why, don’t you?”

When it seemed Ryou was still willing to listen, Bakura slowly lowered his hand and continued, “That crystal _is_ magical. I stole the map because I knew that crystal was the only way I could get the change I wanted. Haven’t you noticed? Haven’t you grown frustrated that nothing has been done?”

Ryou was wary, swallowing hard before replying, “I… I told you,” He whispered, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know what that means.”

“Oh, come on, Ryou,” Bakura taunted, shaking his head in a fake display of pity. “I know who you are. I know why you act the way you do, why your sword was made for a priest and sharpened more than it would be had it been in possession of one. I know why your armor is mismatched, and why you hate it when Malik talks like _that_.” 

Ryou clenched his jaw, keeping it shut with so much force he thought his teeth might crumble. His breathing grew labored and he could only get himself to glare at Bakura, momentarily hating him.

How long had he known? When did he figure it out?

Ryou’s thoughts flooded with question after question, but he was just _so tired_.

Tired of hiding, tired of pretending, tired of being read like a book. Was it that obvious? Did anyone else know? Is that why he was sent away? Sent away with his closest friend, one who had unknowingly befriended a lower class citizen that had tainted the knight title?

Bakura leaned back, giving Ryou the space he looked like he needed. The silence dragged on, as it seemed to have been doing lately, Bakura and Ryou just staring at each other until Bakura couldn’t take it anymore.

“Well?” Bakura tilted his head to the side. “Am I right?”

Slowly, Ryou nodded, tearing his eyes away from Bakura to stare into the glowing fire.

He had known what he was. He never forgot. But hearing it outloud made him feel ashamed. It wasn’t something he wanted to be ashamed of, but the way he had kept it secret for so long, avoiding topics like his home life, his family, and basically everything he had ever known made it seem like he had done something awful.

Though he supposed that, In a way, he had.

He never talked about Yugi anymore. In fact, Yugi hadn’t crossed his mind at all since they had passed the countryside. Ryou never talked about his father in a way that he probably should have. Ryou wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him; If they hadn’t managed the difficult times together. What did Ryou do to thank him? He ran away. Left him alone.

But Bakura raised a good point. Ryou _was_ tired of it. He had been tired of seeing his father threatened for not growing vegetables fast enough during a streak of hot weather. He had been tired of seeing lords storm the town on their horses, demanding money, food, and weapons whenever they wanted. He had been tired of being seen as worthless, as though he could never amount to anything more than a clumsy apprentice struggling to take care of himself and his father.

Since he’d become a knight, since he’d tried to correct his colleagues’ speech and the way they spoke to servants, nothing had changed. All he got out of it so far was another front row seat of the kingdom’s inequality, only this time he was in the audience, not in the role of peasant.

“How… How can the crystal help?” Ryou asked, looking eager for the answer.

Bakura grinned, elated that Ryou had listened to him.

“If we obtain this crystal, we can have anything we want. We can finally know what it’s like to be on top, to hold the power. We can help our people and finally be free from the clutches of a king.”

Bakura was passionate and his hand balled into a fist by the end of his short speech. Ryou could tell he was angry, and he could understand it to an extent, but he was unsure about the way Bakura was talking.

Ryou couldn’t quite place his finger on it, but it sounded strange to him. Something was off. Not to mention Ryou wasn’t sure if he desired ‘anything he wanted.’ That was too good to be true, and he knew better than to follow a plan that involved a phrase like that. Especially now, when Ryou was beginning to question his own motives. What did he even want anymore?

“I mean…” Ryou turned to face Malik, frowning. He lowered his voice to a quiet murmur, really talking mostly to himself, but it was loud enough for Bakura to hear, “Malik is my friend. Wouldn’t that mean betraying him? I don’t think he really means what he says.”

Bakura narrowed his eyes, for that wasn’t exactly the answer he wanted to hear. It seemed that Malik had a tighter grip on Ryou than he originally thought.

He clicked his tongue, placing a gentle hand on Ryou’s shoulder. “Think about it. I’ll leave you alone for the night. This was a good chat.”

“Wait-”  
Before Bakura pulled away, Ryou grabbed the sleeve of his cloak, getting his attention.  
“-You won’t tell Malik… Right?”

Bakura eyes shifted from Ryou to Malik, watching his suspiciously still body for a moment before bringing his attention back to Ryou.

“Right.”

Ryou watched Bakura move to the other side of the fire to lay himself down with his back to Ryou.

In an instant, he felt alone. Ryou couldn’t discern right from wrong, and he couldn’t tell if what he was doing, or what he wanted to do, was the best course of action.

He had plenty of alone time to think about it, though, and wouldn’t have been able to sleep a wink, even if he tried. Apparently, it was a good night to be assigned to keep watch.

…

Ryou kicked dirt onto the fire, stepping on it a few times to make sure it was out completely. He rolled up his sleeves, fanning himself for the air felt strangely humid. The past couple mornings had been cool and breezy, but the air was still this time and the temperature was high.

In fact, the sun was beaming down onto the ground, even though Ryou could have sworn that it had just risen. He would know, for he had stayed up the entire night and was rather surprised to see a sunset. The canopies of the trees weren’t as heavy in this area as they were before, though it seemed unlikely the sun would be so high in the sky that early in the morning.

Ryou splashed some water in his face, intending on waking the other two when he was done, but when he turned around he saw Malik already packing their things and getting ready to leave.

Ryou smiled, walking over to him and lightly placing a hand on his shoulder as a greeting.

“Good morning,” Ryou said, digging in his satchel for an apple. “I brought these for us. I thought I’d save them for a few days so we could enjoy them better.”

He held his hand out with his offered apple, expecting Malik to greet him back or say ‘thank you,’ but all he got was a nod. Malik took the apple by the stem and put it in his own bag, busying himself with, well, Ryou didn’t exactly know what Malik was doing with his bags.

He shrugged it off, though, and thought maybe Malik was just tired. Ryou went over to wake Bakura, but he, too, had awoken by himself, and Ryou greeted him with an apple as well.

“Good morning. Did you sleep well?” Ryou asked, smiling as he held out the apple.

“Most definitely,” Bakura replied with a wink, taking the offered apple and biting right into it. “Thank you.”

Everything seemed to be ready to go, and both Ryou and Malik silently agreed not to wear their armor on the hot, humid day. It was actually nice to be able to get going as soon as they woke up without having the hassle or annoyance of the clanking metal.

Bakura insisted that Ryou rode his horse since he had spent the previous day walking and had stayed up the entire night. Ryou obliged, and was thankful Bakura didn’t mind walking.

Without even speaking a word, Malik began to take off, once again claiming his position as the leader. Ryou found it odd that he hadn’t even spoken a plan or reiterated their trail, but once again Ryou brushed it off on the strange weather and early morning.

Of course, he hadn’t forgotten about the conversation with Bakura the night before. Actually, Ryou was still quite shaken up by the whole thing. It was uncomfortable knowing that his secret could be shared at any given time if Bakura chose to do so and Ryou wouldn’t be able to stop it. He hated that. He felt like Bakura had leverage over him, because surely this secret was more valuable than Bakura’s.

Ryou wondered why he hadn’t told the truth before, though. It didn’t seem like there would be anything wrong with it, but maybe Bakura was unsure about who he was talking to. Ryou could understand that.

He tried not to worry about those thoughts too much, though. The heat was getting annoying, and it was hard to focus on anything in particular with sweat trickling down Ryou’s face and neck.

The longer they walked, the hotter it seemed to get.

No one spoke a word for an hour or so. Ryou passed that on the heat, as well, for he didn’t feel much like talking, either. It wasn’t until he glanced over at Bakura that he decided to speak, finding it odd the other was able to wear his cloak in the intense heat.

“Aren’t you warm?” Ryou asked him, causing both Malik and Bakura to flinch slightly from the unexpected sound.

“No. It’s quite nice, actually. You, on the other hand, do not look nice.”

Ryou frowned, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand before the sweat could fall into his face. “I guess so. It’s just-It’s _really_ hot, right?”

Malik stopped his horse then, turning around to look at Ryou.

“It’s not, actually,” Malik said in an unexpressive tone. He looked Ryou up and down, wrinkling his nose. “What’s wrong with you?”

Ryou blinked, looking back and forth between Bakura and Malik. Were they serious? Did they not feel it? Ryou looked up, shielding his eyes from the sun as it beamed right in his face.

“The sun, it…” He felt like crying for some reason, finding it scary that he was the only one experiencing the sensation. His sweat felt prickly, causing his skin to itch. “It’s hot, right? Isn’t it hot?”

Malik squinted at him, confused. “Ryou, there is no sun. It’s the same as it’s always been.”

“No, it-”

“Shut up, Ryou.”

Ryou blinked, his breath getting caught in his throat as he stared at Malik in shock. Malik just stared back at him; Unmoving, unapologetic.

Ryou’s mouth moved to form words, but he couldn’t make them out the right way.

“Wh… What?”

Malik tilted his head and pursed his lips. “I think you heard me. Do I need to repeat myself?”

Ryou’s confusion turned to anger, all while his sweat continued to boil him alive. It felt like it burned at this point and he wouldn’t be surprised if steam could be seen coming out of his skin.

“No. You don’t, but you _do_ need to explain to me what-”

Malik interrupted Ryou with cackling. Laughter that had absolutely no amusement behind it. He pretended to wipe a tear out of his eye.

“ _I_ need to explain myself to _you?_ ” Malik shook his head, smiling in a patronizing manner. “I think you know very well what I’m talking about.”

Ryou almost fainted on his horse.

His skin was so hot, his clothes were so itchy, his hair was drenched in sweat, and he felt like he was about to die right there. His hands shook, and he couldn’t make them stop.

Against his better judgement, Ryou slowly dismounted his horse, wondering in the back of his head if all his problems would go away if he decided to fall off right on his head.

He didn’t, though. Wobbly and unsteady, Ryou touched his foot to the ground, and soon enough he was standing, watching Malik do the same.

Ryou’s first instinct was to look at Bakura, but he wasn’t there anymore. He disappeared. Ryou looked left and right in a panic, searching for him, wishing that he would be there to take his side because two against one felt so much better than one on one.

“Stop looking for him,” Malik snapped, approaching Ryou so that the other’s attention would remain on him. “I don’t give a shit where he went. I don’t care about him.” He was close enough to touch Ryou, and that’s just what he did. 

“I care about _you._ ” Malik shoved Ryou as he emphasized the last word and Ryou stumbled back a few steps.

“Or at least,” he continued, “I did. I’m not so sure anymore.”

Ryou felt his lip quiver, his body telling him to fall to his knees to weep at Malik’s feet. Beg him for forgiveness, ask him to just please understand why Ryou did the things he did. But he didn’t. Ryou sucked in a shaky breath and handled the situation as best he could.

“You heard me last night,” He concluded out loud, swallowing nervously. Malik was looking at him in that way. That same way he looked at him when he’d first laid eyes on him. Disapproving, disgusted, and disappointed.

“I’m not… I’m not a noble son. I’m from the village nearest to the kingdom.”

Ryou felt his temperature begin to fall. The sunlight that once obscured his vision was now being revealed to not have been there at all.

“Is that it then?” Malik pressed further, clearly not satisfied with the confession. “How am I supposed to trust you? It feels like I don’t even know who you are anymore! Was any of that stuff about your family even true?”

“Of course it was true! Malik, I’ve been honest with you about every single thing except where I came from. You don’t need to worry about me being dishonest.”

“Liar! I heard you talking with Bakura.” Malik stepped forward again, narrowing his eyes at Ryou, though it was slightly strained. “You’re going to ambush this mission. You two are planning on grouping together and stealing that crystal for yourselves.”

“What? No! Malik, he was just-That’s not what we talked about at all!” Ryou stepped closer as well, brow furrowed in irritation. “All I want to do is make things better for my people.”

“By stealing from them?” Malik scoffed, “You’re no better than any other peasant I’ve met. You’re only thinking about yourself. It’s always about you. It’s always _been_ about you. Ever since we met.”

Ryou bit down on his tongue, lurching forward and taking his chance to shove Malik.

“I wasn’t going to steal anything! And you’re one to talk about being selfish. I’ve never heard you speak any good things about anyone other than yourself. You spit on everyone below you without even a second glance!”

“Don’t touch me!” Malik shouted back, shoving Ryou harder than the latter did to him.

The two stared at each other for a second before coming to the same decision at the same time.

Their bodies crashed into each other, hands gripping at whatever body part they could find.

Malik’s hand tried to push Ryou’s face away as Ryou’s fingers dug into Malik’s shoulders. They wrestled each other, blinded by frustration and anger, fighting for a chance to throw one another onto the ground.

“You lied to me!” Malik shouted, pulling at Ryou’s hair.

“You’re not listening to me!” Ryou argued back, feeling his muscles growing weak. Malik definitely had an advantage over him, even if Ryou had gotten a full night’s sleep and a chance to rest his aching legs. Those same legs wobbled uncertainly, Ryou not being sure if he would be able to endure Malik’s weight being applied on his shoulders.

It was a split decision, a defense move, really. Ryou’s hand balled into a fist and he struck Malik in the stomach. It was effective and Malik’s hands removed themselves from Ryou’s body to hold his abdomen, allowing Ryou an opportunity to step back.

Malik looked shocked at first, but he quickly became infuriated. He drew his sword out from his side and slowly walked toward Ryou.

Ryou followed suit, although he didn’t look nearly as angry as Malik did. Ryou regret punching Malik immediately after it happened, but it looked like they were already in too deep. WIth his sword in hand, Ryou stepped backward as Malik moved forward.

“Oh god, Malik, I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” He pleaded, panicked and thinking rationally now that his brain had a chance to catch up to his fight or flight mode. “Please, just listen to me! I didn’t mean to hurt you, okay? I-I didn’t want to lie to you, I just-”

Malik swung his sword at Ryou, and Ryou quickly blocked it. He really could not tell if it was a swing to kill or a swing to threaten. Hopefully it was the second one.

“Malik, stop!”

But he didn’t stop.

After a few more swings, the two found themselves in a sword fight. They were equally matched, Ryou parrying every attack Malik threw at him. And there were a lot. Every single swing was different from the last, and Ryou caught on quickly.

“What are you doing?” He asked as he blocked another one of Malik’s swings. “I’m sorry! Please, Malik, I am!”

Malik looked as though he was about to stop, but at the last minute he drew his sword back and raised it over his head, looking to strike Ryou from above. Ryou blocked it, but Malik didn’t withdraw his sword.

Their swords were crossed, each putting as much weight as they could as an attempt to gain the upper hand. Ryou was sweating again, not because of heat, but because of how much movement he’d been doing. Malik was giving him a work out, and they were both feeling the effects.

Ryou’s eyes remained locked on their swords, focusing at first at keeping Malik’s blade under control, but the longer the two stubbornly struggled, leaning forward into each other, the closer to each other’s faces they had unknowingly become.

Ryou switched his gaze at the same time Malik did. Their eyes locked, and the weight on their swords lessened for a brief moment.

Malik didn’t look angry anymore. His eyes were watery, and he looked at war with himself, on the line between regretful and frustrated. Ryou felt the same way, but he looked more concerned now that he could see Malik.

Their weight kept lessening and, slowly, the tension on their swords ceased to exist. They dropped their arms at the same time, still looking each other in the eyes. They were just inches apart, close enough to touch. They could feel one another’s breath as they panted.

Ryou licked his lips, soothing them as they trembled.

The world around them ceased to exist. They were no longer in a forest, but in the middle of nowhere. It was just them. Malik was the only thing Ryou could see, and Ryou the same for Malik.

They inched closer and closer, getting completely lost as their heads tilted to the side.

Closer and closer; They could feel each other’s hair tickle their face, the small fuzz of skin on their upper lips.

“Oi! Stop fighting and come look at this!”

What was that?

Ryou quickly stumbled back when he heard Bakura shout, his heart beating frantically in his chest with no sign of stopping.

Malik did the same, and they both turned in the direction of Bakura’s voice, seeing him a few feet away waving his arms in the air. Ryou weakly waved back at him, realizing then that his sword wasn’t in his hand anymore like he thought it was.

Ryou and Malik looked down at their feet, seeing their swords lying innocently on the ground. They lifted their heads to look at each other again, Ryou’s face growing incredibly warm when he saw Malik’s doing the same.

“Malik… I’m sorry,” He murmured, reaching his hand out as an offered handshake of peace.

Malik frowned, looking at Ryou’s hand longingly. “I won’t say anything. About you, I mean.” Awkwardly, Malik placed his hand in Ryou’s, his grip loose for a moment as if he were unsure about it.

“I’m just… I think I just need some time. To think.”

Ryou nodded his head once. “I know.”

Their hands parted ways loosely, and the two picked up their swords to put them away. Bakura was still waving his arms, and so Ryou and Malik rode their horses to him, momentarily forgetting all that had just happened between them for the sake of their kingdom and their own sanity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! Leave a comment if you'd like :-)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see! It's been a while but I'm back with an update. Thank you all for your patience and welcome back to the adventure!

…

“What’s going on?” Ryou asked as he climbed off his horse, hitching it to a tree as he looked concerned at Bakura. Malik was behind him and did the same.

“I found something. I think it might be what we’re looking for,” Bakura explained, frantically gesturing for them to hurry as they walked closer to him.

Upon approaching him, Ryou caught a glimpse of what Bakura was talking about, but the closer he got, the further his mouth fell open.

Mysteriously, in what was probably the middle of the forest, was a hole in the ground. It was large, the diameter much larger than any of the men standing in front of it. The hole didn’t go straight down, but rather descended on a diagonal. It seemed the slanted shape had what looked to be stairs, only the formations had eroded over time, leaving rounded lumps leading the way into the darkness below.

The hole wasn’t dug out of dirt, but rather it seemed the soil had transitioned into some kind of stone. It was in no way a natural occurrence, and the hole was clearly man made, carved into meticulously. The erosion showed signs of time passing, along with the moss and vines growing around it. It was hard to tell when it was dug, but Ryou knew it had to have been many, many years ago.

“What is this?” Ryou breathed, stepping closer to the hole and crouching down to peer inside. “It’s beautiful.”

“It’s creepy,” Malik said passively, hesitating to move as close as Ryou did. “The map doesn’t say anything about a hole in the middle of the forest.”

Ryou shrugged. “True, but it also doesn’t show the exact location of the crystal.” He stood, turning to Malik and Bakura. “I think this is our best bet. If it’s not here, then I don’t know where else it could be.”

Malik looked to be reluctant to agree with Ryou, but there was no argument to be made.

“What are we waiting for? Let’s go,” Bakura urged, approaching the moss-covered stairs. Before he could go down the first step, Ryou grabbed his arm and gently pulled him back.

“We can’t go in there blind.” Ryou made motion for them to wait as he jogged to his horse to rifle around in his bags, pulling out a rag and a bottle. He proceeded to soak the rag before searching for a large, sturdy stick.

“We need a torch,” He explained, smiling when he found a stick he deemed worthy. Ryou took the time to craft his lighting device, ignoring the fact that Malik was staring daggers at him and Bakura was pacing as he grew impatient.

Once it was all put together, Ryou lit it and the flame quickly came alive, swirling orange and yellow in the air. It remained centered, giving the indication of little to no wind.

“There,” Ryou said, smiling to himself. “I’ll lead the way and--”

“I don’t think so,” Malik interrupted, stomping toward Ryou and easily snatching the torch out of his hand. “If anyone is going to be leading, it’s me. Not the two conspirators.”

Ryou opened his mouth to argue, but he found that he simply did not have the energy. He settled for glaring as Malik glared back, only for their beef to be interrupted by Bakura’s voice once again.

“Who cares? Let’s just go already!”

Bakura ground his teeth, and his posture was tense. His disgruntled look was startling to Ryou, especially since Bakura had seemed so humble and mildly tempered in the previous conversations they had.

However, whatever negative emotions Ryou felt toward Bakura left him in favor of excitement as Malik began to lead the descent down the eroded stairs.

Ryou had only heard of situations like theirs in stories. Magical crystals, time stopping forests, mysterious staircases being lit by torch light-- All of it was still hard to comprehend when he had only just been a simple farmhand about a month ago.

As they made their way down the stairs and into the dark cave, Ryou found it difficult to focus on their task at hand. Instead, his eyes were glued on Malik. Or at least, what he could see of him.

The torch created the same glow against his brown skin that the campfire had done a few days prior. It reminded Ryou of how close they had been. Not just physically, but emotionally. Did all of those shared experiences, all of those personal details, go to waste? Did Malik even believe any of it anymore?

Ryou wasn’t confident enough to answer his own questions. The hard truth was that their relationship was going to be different now, and certainly nowhere near as close as it had been before. The most conflicting part was Ryou couldn’t even blame Malik for any of it.

What kind of a friend lies about who they are? There was so much time to reveal himself, to beg for Malik’s discretion, and looking back on it now Ryou felt that maybe Malik wouldn’t have cared after all. He might have been shocked, he might have felt inclined to tell someone, but in the end Ryou felt Malik would have accepted it.

Acceptance, however, would be harder for him now. Ryou could only imagine how he must be feeling. The conversation he had with Bakura was a mistake. He shouldn’t have admitted to anything. He should have played the part he had been playing the entire time.

Ryou frowned, glancing over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of Bakura behind him.

Something felt off about him. Ryou was blind to it before, but after reflecting on their conversation, he could see that Bakura was trying to manipulate him. Bakura wanted him on his side, but Ryou still wasn’t exactly sure why.

Even as they walked through the damp, dark cave, Bakura’s eyes were scanning the darkness, eagerly looking for something out of place. It made Ryou nervous, so he chose to keep his eyes on the darkness in front of them.

The torch helped to light their way, but everything beyond the illumination of the fire was pitch black. Any dangers lurking in front or behind them would be seen too late, but from what Ryou could see, the cave was uninhabited for a long time.

The stone was carved in a narrow path, forcing the three of them to walk in a single line. Once in a while, Ryou would feel water drop on his head, causing him to shiver every now and then.

“How far do you think it goes?” Ryou whispered after they’d been walking for a while, but his voice still managed to travel and echo through the long, empty tunnel.

Malik shrugged, but gave no verbal answer.

Ryou let out a soft sigh through his nose. His fingers rubbed at his palms as they began to sweat. The tunnel was becoming cold and damp, and the combination of silence and darkness made him nervous. Neither Malik nor Bakura seemed as phased by it as Ryou did, and their lack of reaction only made him feel worse.

The longer they walked and the deeper into the tunnel they went, the more Ryou felt like they should turn back. It was likely it was just abandoned. Perhaps it was some kind of mineshaft that hadn’t been used in centuries.

As he was beginning to lose hope, Ryou heard something snap. It sounded like someone had stepped on a twig.

“What was that?” Ryou stopped walking, scanning the hard-to-see ground for signs of a foreign object. He saw what looked to be a stick underneath the heel of Malik’s boot. Malik moved to shine the torchlight over it, only to reveal that it wasn’t a simple stick at all.

“That’s a bow,” Ryou quickly blurted out, becoming excited by the sign of civilization. “That’s good. That means we’re getting close to something.”

Slowly, they continued moving forward, keeping their eyes on the ground now.

The tunnel after that was littered with loose rocks and debris, something that wasn’t appearing before. They went further and further into the darkness, only to suddenly stop when Malik stopped.

He gasped, his breath getting caught in his throat. Hesitantly, he shone the torchlight over the object on the ground.

“Is… Is that..?”

Ryou peeked over Malik’s shoulder, his eyes widening in surprise.

“A bone,” Ryou whispered, feeling like he needed to due to the change in atmosphere, “It looks human.”

Malik shook his head, stepping backward and away from the bone as if it had struck him.

“I don’t like this. This doesn’t feel right.”

Malik’s voice was shaky, the tremble in his tone causing Ryou to frown in concern. He’d never known Malik to be afraid of anything. He, too, had to admit though that something about seeing the bone didn’t sit right with him.

The idea of the tunnel being some kind of catacomb crossed Ryou’s mind, but there were no other bones up until now. The bow they found also added another layer to the mysterious tunnel.

Bakura spoke up, his eyes narrowing at both men in front of him.

“You can’t be serious. It makes complete sense for there to be bones in an underground tunnel like this.” He shoved Ryou to the side and approached Malik, holding his hand out expectantly. “If you’re too afraid to keep going, I’ll gladly go myself.”

“Bakura, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Ryou warned, trying to see into the darkness that remained in front of them. “This doesn’t look like some kind of burial place.”

Bakura snorted in response. “You find a bone and you’re just going to quit?” He turned to face Ryou now, but Ryou could only see the half of his face that was lit by the torch. Unfortunately, it was the side with the long, discolored scar. Ryou hated to think it, but the sight of him was menacing.

“No,” Ryou defended, “I just don’t think it’s safe anymore.”

Malik scoffed. “You want to go ahead? Fine.” He handed the torch to Bakura, who gladly grasped it in his hand. “I’m going back.”

“What?” Ryou shook his head in disbelief. “Malik, you can’t even see anything. You can’t go back on your own.”

Before Malik could respond, Bakura started walking away, catching Ryou off guard.

“Bakura, where do you think you’re going?” Ryou demanded, becoming frustrated with the lack of cooperation among the group. He started to jog toward Bakura, who was clearly walking at a brisk pace, forgetting about Malik behind him.

“Bakura stop!”

Ryou caught up to Bakura, trying to walk next to him, but the narrow tunnel wouldn’t allow him past Bakura’s shoulders. As they walked, Ryou noticed more things on the ground beneath them. More bones, a helmet, arrows.

“Bakura, really this isn’t-”

Bakura stopped suddenly, causing Ryou to bump into him.  
Ryou blinked, but held his breath, knowing that it probably wasn’t a good sign.

“What is it?” He whispered, squinting his eyes and maneuvering to see past Bakura. His eyes widened as he veered further to the right.

The light from the torch revealed a body. What looked to be some kind of leather armor clung to the petrified, rotting flesh. The mouth hung open, gravity pulling the jaw toward the left where the body leaned. Decomposing flesh clung to the bones as a result of the damp, cool conditions in the cave tunnel. It looked as though it would come to life at any moment and chase them all away.

What was most intriguing about the rotting body, though, was the small box it was grasping in its hands.

“Bakura, I really don’t think we should touch anything,” Ryou urged, unable to look away from the sight before them. As disgusting and horrifying as it was, Ryou found he just couldn’t look away.

Malik, however, had caught up to them, and Ryou only figured it out because of the disgusted sound he made as he approached.

“Oh god, what is that?” Malik covered his nose, leaning in further to catch a glimpse of what Ryou and Bakura were looking at.

Ryou felt him jump and stumble back.

“That-That’s a body!” He exclaimed, pointing at it even though it wasn’t necessary. “They’re dead! They died!”

Malik’s voice echoed loudly in the tunnel, causing Ryou to have to cover his ears. He wouldn’t have taken Malik to be squeamish, although it was safe to assume he probably had never even seen a dead body before.

“Malik, you have to be quiet,” Ryou whispered, turning around to comfort Malik. “We don’t know what’s down here. We shouldn’t draw attention.”

Ryou couldn’t see Malik’s face well enough to know if what he said was understood and he couldn’t keep his attention on Malik for very long either. He saw Bakura move out the corner of his eye.

“What are you doing?” Ryou hissed, watching as Bakura pried the box out of the dead body’s cold, stiff fingers. “Put that back!”

“This is it.” Bakura absentmindedly handed the torch over to Ryou as he focused on the box.

It was plain and wooden, no sign of anything special within it. Ryou furrowed his brow, not quite understanding what Bakura was talking about. He was much too preoccupied with Malik’s anxious fiddling and the idea of there being a dead body an arm’s length away from them.

“Bakura, put it back,” Ryou repeated, feeling his own anxiety begin to surface in the midst of all the unfamiliarity. They had to get out of the tunnel. Ryou didn’t think he would last too much longer in the dark, cramped space.

Bakura looked at Ryou, no sign of any second thoughts in his expression.

“You’re stupid if you think I’m leaving this behind.”

With that, Bakura shoved his way past Ryou and Malik, making a run for the exit the way they came. Ryou blinked in disbelief, not comprehending what had happened until a few seconds after.

“Hey! Bakura, stop!” Ryou scowled and grabbed Malik’s wrist as he ran after Bakura into the darkness. How Bakura could see where he was going, Ryou wasn’t sure, but he supposed it wouldn’t be too difficult seeing that the tunnel went in one direction.

“Do you think the crystal is in that box?” Malik asked, pulling his hand out of Ryou’s in favor of running behind him on his own. “That rat! I told you, Ryou!”

Ryou’s stomach began to ache. He was running, but he wasn’t paying much attention to it. He grasped the torch in his sweaty hand, the warmth of the flame not doing much to ease the uncomfortable chill that started to crawl all over his body.

Maybe the crystal was in there. Bakura seemed to think it was.

The fact that it was grasped in a dead man’s hands, though, didn’t make Ryou think it was very magical.

The weapons, the bones… Who knew how many other bodies were down there. This crystal, if it were in that box, didn’t seem to grant anyone's wish back there. Why was it put in such a deep tunnel? How far did the tunnel go? Was it supposed to be buried? Why would they bury such a precious item?

Ryou didn’t want to know the answers to any of his questions, but he had the horrible feeling that they were going to be answered anyway.

They ran through the dark tunnel, finding that it felt much faster running out of it than it did going in. Perhaps it was because they were sprinting, or perhaps it was because Ryou didn’t stop thinking until they saw the daylight shining on the stairs they had previously descended.

“Bakura! Get back here!” Malik shouted, running past Ryou now that he could see where he was going. He ran up the stairs and Ryou followed behind him.

They were both ready to keep running, to find whatever direction Bakura went in to chase after him, but they didn’t need to. Bakura was waiting for them near the stairs, smirking.

“Thought I would make a run for it, huh?”

Ryou frowned, not finding the situation at all amusing. He kicked some dirt around so he could snuff out his torch while Malik angrily approached Bakura.

“Who do you think you are? Give me that box. I don’t trust you with it.”

Malik placed his hands on the wooden box, but it wouldn’t budge out of Bakura’s iron grip. Malik looked at him, finding he had height leverage, and glared down at him.

“Let go,” He demanded through clenched teeth, “Or I’ll make you.”

Bakura chuckled, his tongue gliding across his upper lip.  
“Will you?”

Malik snorted in disgust, his hands coming right off the box as if it had become scalding hot. “You’re disgusting.”

“Come on, Bakura,” Ryou chimed in, walking over to the group and looking at Bakura expectantly. “Let us see it. We don’t even know what’s in there. Open it.”

Bakura raised a brow, his hand gently gliding over the top of the box.

“Well, if you insist.”

Holding the box out in front of him, Bakura flipped the latch and placed his thumb on the lid. Malik and Ryou swarmed behind him to watch him open it.

Slowly, the lid was lifted to reveal a red silk lining. Cushioned inside of it was what looked to be smooth, shiny rock. It was a deep green color with what looked to be red veins spreading all around it. It didn’t glow or shimmer. It sat in the red silk, just looking shiny and new.

“That’s it?” Malik asked, sounding much less than impressed. “That’s no crystal. That’s a rock.”

Ryou furrowed his brow, leaning in closer to examine the stone.

“No, that’s a crystal. I think they call it a bloodstone. My friend knows a lot about that stuff.”

“ _Blood?_ That doesn’t sound very magical, nor does it look very valuable,” Malik said, wrinkling his nose and stepping away.

“Oh no,” Ryou corrected, “They’re rumored to be magical, but I’ve never heard of anything magical occurring in real life. Only in stories.”

After looking at it for a moment longer, Bakura shifted the box into one hand and raised the other to grab the crystal, but Ryou stopped him.

“What are you doing?” He asked pointedly, gripping Bakura’s wrist.

Bakura turned his head to narrow his eyes at Ryou, his jaw becoming tense. “What does it look like? I’m taking it.”

Ryou scoffed in disbelief. “No, you’re not. No one is touching that thing until we get back to the king.”

Bakura raised a brow and a second later he started laughing, taking Ryou off guard. He yanked his hand out of Ryou’s grip and shoved him hard. Ryou stumbled back and lost balance, falling to the ground.

When he moved to get up, his fight or flight response kicked in as he scrambled to get back on his feet. Before he could, his head hit the ground when Bakura’s foot pinned his torso down into the dirt.

“What are you doing? Get off!”

Ryou struggled to reach for his sword, to shift Bakura’s weight in some way that would gain him an advantage, but all his fingers could seem to do was claw the dirt beneath him. 

Bakura shook his head, grasping the box tightly in one hand. “I’m not letting you get in my way. Not now.”

Just as Bakura was about to turn his attention back to what seemed to now be his prized possession, there was movement in his peripheral. In an instant, he removed his foot from Ryou’s chest in favor of pivoting, twirling around in a circle and removing his long, black cloak in the process. The box fell from his hands and as it hit the ground, the stone fell out of its safe cushion and into the dirt.

Ryou could see Bakura’s scarred body and his withering, tattered clothes, but what was most alarming was the belt wrapped around his thigh.

Malik lunged at Bakura, his hand on the hilt of his sword ready to draw. Bakura reached for his own weapon-- A dagger tucked away in the belt Ryou had noticed.

By the time Ryou realized what was about to happen, it was too late. All he could do was watch the scene play out in what felt like slow motion.

Malik kept moving closer, but he never got the chance to draw out his sword completely.

Bakura ducked and moved swiftly, hand grasping his dagger tightly as he drove it into Malik’s upper thigh, stopping the latter in his tracks.

“Malik!” Ryou screamed, his eyes widening as he watched Malik crumple, falling to the ground after Bakura pulled the blade out from within his flesh. He quickly ran to Malik’s side, kicking up dirt as he pushed himself off the ground.

Ryou could only stare at Malik in disbelief, watching his chest rise and fall rapidly. Malik’s hands shook as they hovered over the gash in his leg, his pants quickly becoming stained with red 

“What-What did you just do?!” Ryou whipped his head in his kneeling position, finding Bakura a few feet away from them and holding the very crystal he told him not to touch.

“Taking what’s mine, Ryou,” Bakura answered cooly, unphased as if there wasn’t a bleeding, injured man before him. “I thought that was what we talked about.”

Ryou felt tears well in his eyes, his hands balling into fists. He got up and reached for Malik’s sword that lay on the ground. He stood in a fighting stance, hesitant to approach Bakura any more now that he held the stone in his hand. He shook his head, eyes scanning Bakura for some sign of humanity left within him.

So badly he wanted to be right. Ryou wanted Bakura to be the person he thought he was, if not for him then for the representation of peasants and the poor. From where he was standing, though, Bakura just looked to be another twisted product of greed and neglect. A human being that was wronged and never righted when he should have been.

“Bakura, you know that’s not what we talked about. We talked about giving that thing to the king and--”

“And what? Letting _him_ decide if I’m worthy to stay in the kingdom?” Bakura turned his head to the side, his scar facing Ryou as he raised a brow in question. “For him to decide if I’ve ‘changed my ways’? Bullshit! He doesn’t get to decide who lives and who dies! He doesn’t get to choose his battles!”

Ryou stepped back the more Bakura stepped forward, his gut telling him to run while he still could, but his rational thinking wanted more information. He wanted the truth. Something wasn’t right and Ryou felt like he had to know.

“That…That sounds--You’re making it sound like _he_ destroyed your home,” Ryou said, his voice soft and tentative, “It wasn’t an outside kingdom, was it?”

Bakura grinned, his demeanor easily changing into excitement. “Now you see it!”

He held up the stone for Ryou to see before hiding it in his fist as he squeezed it. Bakura’s hand began to glow red and Ryou moved closer to Malik.

“I don’t care who the king is,” Bakura continued, “Royals, knights, noblemen--They’re all the same. Nothing you do will change their ways, Ryou. You can’t change monsters.”

Ryou’s mouth dropped open as his head started to move upward in order to keep eye contact with Bakura.

Bakura’s eyes began to glow, his teeth became sharp, and the sound of bones cracking and snapping as new ones replaced old ones filled Ryou’s ears. Suddenly, the forest became dark as clouds formed over the sun, giving the illusion of night time. Once Ryou saw what looked to be wings poking out of Bakura’s back, he decided it was time to leave.

Ryou returned to Malik’s side, inspecting him and finding that he was nearly conscious. With shaky, unsteady hands, Ryou quickly removed Malik’s leather belt and fastened it above the wound as an attempt to stop the bleeding, trying to stay focused on what he was doing and not on the mutating man in front of them.

He slid Malik's sword back into its sheath before sitting him up straight. Ryou looped his arms under Malik’s and dragged him away from the scene. He was heavy, and Malik’s loud, pained groan only served to make Ryou’s stomach churn.

“You can still join me, Ryou,” Bakura said, his voice much louder, much more raspy than it was before. Ryou didn’t want to look at him, choosing to focus on the task of getting Malik on his horse.

“We can change the kingdom. We can change the world.”

Ryou approached his horse, leaning Malik up against the tree Milk was tied to. He shook him gently when he saw that Malik’s eyes were struggling to stay open.

“Malik,” He whispered, gently holding the other’s face, “You have to stand for me, okay? We’re going to get on my horse.”

Ryou saw smoke rolling in their direction, probably coming from whatever it was Bakura was doing. He paid it no mind and kept his eyes on Malik’s.

“I can’t.”

“Yes you can, Malik,” Ryou insisted, “You have to. We have to stand. Just really quick, okay?”

Malik’s eyes opened and they looked at Ryou first, examining his face. Slowly, they trailed over to where Bakura had been, only to widen in an expected mixture of shock and fear.

“Come on, Malik,” Ryou continued, attempting to draw his attention back. “Let’s get going. Let’s stand up.”

Malik, speechless, nodded his head quickly, maneuvering himself closer to Ryou so that he could help him stand. Ryou held him close, holding his hand and keeping an arm around his shoulders. They counted to three together and stood. Malik clenched his teeth together and took a sharp breath in, squeezing Ryou’s hand as he approached the white horse beside him.

“I’ll lift you up.”

“No, I got it.”

Malik took in a deep breath as he placed his hands on the horse's back. He put most of his weight on his good leg, using it to spring himself up onto the horse’s back in front of the saddle. With Ryou’s help, he turned himself around, hanging both of his legs over the side.

“Where are you going, Ryou?” Bakura beckoned, earning Ryou’s attention at last.

With Malik taken care of, Ryou turned to face Bakura, who had completely shape-shifted into something Ryou thought only existed in stories.

Bakura’s eyes were glowing red, his signature scar striking through the right one. Huge nostrils moved and twitched with every breath. Long horns poked out of the beast’s head, smaller ones poked out at the sides. Toes with long talons curled and uncurled, huge velvety wings stretched themselves out, revealing their impressive length and emphasizing the enormous size of the dragon body they were attached to.The scales covering his body shined a metallic red, shimmering as the body convulsed, stretching itself out to its full size.

“What-” Ryou placed his hand on the handle of his sword. “What did you wish for?”

As terrified as he was, Ryou felt his face twist into a hurt and worried expression. Tears welled in his eyes, but he knew they would not fall. Whatever it was that happened to Bakura must have been terrible for him to go this far. Ryou didn’t need to ask. He knew what he wished for, given that the crystal they found granted him the body of a mythical, unstoppable creature.

The word slipped out of Bakura’s mouth so casually, as if it were the only thing anyone could wish for. As he opened his mouth, rows of giant sharp teeth made themselves visible.

“Revenge,” He drawled, a small burst of a flame puffing out of his mouth after.

Ryou pressed his lips together, disappointment, fear, and sorrow overcoming him. If only he trusted his instincts. Maybe he could have helped Bakura. Maybe all the violence Ryou foresaw taking place could have been avoided,

He slowly shook his head, looking regretfully up at Bakura.

“I wish you hadn’t,” Ryou whispered to himself.

He sighed shakily, the grip on his sword becoming slack. Ryou looked down at the ground, replacing his fear with any amount of courage he could muster up in that moment. The people he loved were in danger, and that wasn’t something he could bystand.

“Bakura,” Ryou raised his voice, looking up at the dragon before him, his brow furrowed in anger, “I would die for my family. I would die for my kingdom--For my people.”

Bakura barked out a roar of laughter, his dragon head pointing up at the sky like a wolf howling at the moon.

“Your kingdom would _kill_ you before they let you protect them. You can’t protect them.”

Bakura started to move his giant claws, stomping once, twice, creeping his head closer to Ryou.

“You’re small,” He growled, “Weak. Naive. No one is going to take your side. And if you won’t join mine?” Bakura chuckled before barring his huge, pointed teeth. “Well, I’ll have to kill you. I’ll grant your wish to die with your pathetic kingdom.”

Ryou remained planted in his place beside his horse as Bakura withdrew from him. The beast spread his wings and flapped them twice, sending a strong wind in Ryou’s direction.

“I’m in such a good mood, though,” He continued, raising his booming dragon voice so that it would echo throughout the empty, vast forest. “I think I’ll give you a head start.”

Ryou watched as Bakura flapped his giant wings, enough to get his body off the ground. Ryou’s hair blew back in the wind and he squinted to keep his eyes on Bakura.

“Ryou, get on the horse,” Malik said, his voice shaky but firm. “Now!”

Quickly, Ryou turned around to untie Malik’s horse before mounting his own. As Malik shouted for him, Ryou saw an orange glow appear in the sky, a sure sign of danger.

Just as Ryou settled into the saddle, he heard a rumbling sound and a sudden flash of heat. He didn’t even have to snap the reins to get Milk to move.

A blazing funnel of fire fell from the sky, swarming the land when the two collided. The horses started on a sprint, but Ryou wasn’t sure if it would be enough. He kept snapping the reins, looking back and forth in front and behind as the flames chased after them.

Milk neighed and winnied in a panic, snorting as she exerted more and more energy. Ryou could feel the heat on his back and shut his eyes, only able to hope that they were fast enough.

Just like that, the heat was gone.

The stench of smoke, and smoke itself, filled the forest air, causing Ryou and Malik to cough. Ryou's eyes stung, but he had to open them to make sure they were on the right path.

“We’re not going to make it,” he heard Malik mumble between coughs, “We’re too late. We’re too far.”

Ryou shook his head, gaze hardening on the path in front of them.

“Yes we will. We’ll make it, Malik.”

“It’s too far. It’s not… We…”

Ryou was startled when Malik’s body leaned forward, nearly falling off the horse mid-sprint. He quickly caught him in one arm, holding him close to his body.

“Malik?” He called out, attempting to multitask riding his horse and shaking Malik back awake. “Malik! Malik, wake up!”

But he didn’t. Malik remained motionless excepting the wheezing that came from his parted lips. Ryou pulled him up a little further to readjust him, knowing now that they _had_ to make it in time. Malik was losing blood with every passing second.

“Hold on, Malik,” Ryou said, even though he knew the other couldn’t hear him, “We’ll make it.”

The path looked the same as it did when they were traveling, so Ryou took comfort in that. What he didn’t take comfort in, though, was the fact that it had taken them three days to get where they were. He didn’t have three days.

Ryou tugged on the reins, bringing Milk to a halt.

He looked left, right, and forward, assessing his options and trying to remember the direction they had come from. There was no time to find the map and everything was smokey and dark. All Ryou knew at that point was that the path had taken them as far as it could. He had to take his chances.

On a whim, Ryou steered his horse to the left, hoping that he’d made the right choice.

The right choice for Malik.

His arm subconsciously squeezed Malik tighter as he thought about him. Ryou could only think about him.

If only he’d listened to Malik. If only he’d told him the truth sooner. If only he hadn’t let Bakura’s words entice him into taking sides, into revealing secrets and trusting lies-- Malik wouldn’t be hurt. He wouldn’t be passed out and in pain.

Ryou could go on with his regrets, list every single one and feel sorry about it, but when his hand slid upward on Malik’s chest, he felt his heartbeat.

Briefly, Ryou closed his eyes, immersing himself in the even rhythm of Malik’s warm chest.

The past didn’t matter. What mattered was that Malik got to safety. Malik was still alive and Ryou was going to make sure it stayed that way.

In the distance, Ryou could hear Bakura’s demonic roar. It was terrifying to think such a small crystal had the capability to change a person into an entirely different creature altogether. 

It was also terrifying to think how a lifetime of being unheard had corrupted Bakura so far into wishing death upon a kingdom he didn’t even know.

But who was Ryou to judge? His family, his friends, they were all still alive for the most part. Despite wishing for equality, for the higher ups to change their ways and see their wrongs, Ryou didn’t have too much anger in his heart for his kingdom.

No, Ryou had the privilege of turning the anger he felt into hope.

Hope for a better life, hope for a better place, and hope for a changed world.

Whatever happened to Bakura, whether or not it was the monarchy’s fault, didn’t give him that same privilege. Ryou could only imagine what Bakura must feel like having been banished into the forest. Perhaps, Ryou thought, he just needed someone to listen to him.

…  
Ryou whisked past trees, skillfully steering his horse into open spaces and clear patches to run through. He could feel twigs and leaves scratch his face, some of them even getting caught in his hair. It didn’t slow him down, though, and he kept on riding.

Malik’s horse was still running beside them, probably keeping watch over his rider. Ryou knew their bond was strong and wasn’t at all surprised that he kept up with them.

It felt like too much time was passing by, though. Ryou recognized a log or two and was worried he was going in circles. He wasn’t thinking too much about their direction, but hoping that they’d find an opening or miraculously reach the end of the forest, but so far everything looked the same.

Even if he wanted to ride on the path again, he couldn’t. He hadn’t caught sight of it since he trailed off.

Ryou kept his hand on Malik’s chest, finding comfort in the fact that he could still feel his heart beating. There was still time.

All of a sudden, both Milk and Ares, Malik’s horse, started moving faster. Ryou was taken back by the sudden lurch and gripped the reins tighter. Were they spooked by something?

Ryou turned around to check behind himself, but he saw nothing but trees and shrubs. When he turned back around he saw that they were headed for a wall of vines.

“Woah,” He commanded, pulling on the reins so that Milk would stop running, but she didn’t. She didn’t even slow down.

“Woah! Stop!” Ryou was persistent in his tugging, but Milk was more persistent on running right into the vegetation. Ryou wasn’t sure what was behind it, if it was a man made wall or if the vines were thick.

“Stop! Milk, stop!” 

But she didn’t. The vines were coming closer and Ryou figured he had two choices:

Stay on his horse and run into the void of vines and branches, or take his chances jumping off and being left alone in the woods with Malik’s unconscious body.

Ryou put his faith in the guidance of his horse. He trusted her, after all, and was sure she knew something he didn’t.

Shutting his eyes and holding Malik tight, Ryou braced himself for impact.

He felt Milk jump into the air and then he felt twigs and leaves smack him in the face.

A moment later, he felt warm.

The sound of Milk’s hooves running on the ground changed from crunching leaves to muffled thumps, indicating that they were riding on grass.

Ryou saw orange and yellow behind his eyelids, coercing him to open his eyes and see the sun greet him.

Milk slowed down as Ryou came to. He took in a deep breath before inspecting their new surroundings.

There were rolling hills of green. A green Ryou recognized all too well.

His mouth hung open in disbelief, a heavy sigh escaping him when he saw familiar flags waving atop cone-shaped towers in the distance.

“We made it, Malik,” He whispered while checking to see if Malik was responsive. When he saw he wasn't, Ryou took a moment to study him, tucking some of his blonde hair behind his ear.

“You’re going to be okay.”

Ryou gripped the reins again and snapped them, setting them off on another sprint. The castle was still quite far away. He had hoped to have been able to ride through the town, to warn everyone to evacuate, but he ended up on the other side of the castle, the back, somehow. He hadn’t known the forest surrounded their kingdom like that.

When he looked behind himself to see where they had come from, the wall of vines began to seal itself, closing the hole they had made when they jumped through it.

Something wasn’t right about that forest, and it made Ryou wonder if it even took them three days to go where they went. Time didn’t seem to exist. The forest, as displayed by the movement of the vines, had a mind of its own.

That was a mystery for another day, though. Ryou could still see smoke when he glanced over his shoulder and he wondered how long it would take Bakura to get to where he was. Surely not long if he could fly.

Ryou wouldn’t be surprised if he was taunting him, toying with his concept of time.

Bakura was not the concern at that moment, though. Ryou rode his horse as fast as she could go, hurrying to get Malik the medical attention he needed.

When he could see the texture of the wall surrounding the castle, Ryou began to shout for help.

“Help! He’s injured!” He shouted, gaining attention from those tending to the castle’s garden. There was a gate in between the stone wall and Ryou stopped his horse there.

“Malik is injured. He needs help!”

Quickly, the gate was opened, and Ryou rode his horse through the castle courtyard, searching for Malik’s sister.

“Isis!” He called out, stopping his horse near the back entrance of the castle (where their first day as knights began) and scanning his surroundings. “Isis! Has anyone seen Isis?”

“Ryou?”

Ryou’s head snapped in the direction of her voice and he steered his horse over to her as she jogged toward him.

“Malik was stabbed,” Ryou explained, sounding much more grim than he would have wanted to. He didn’t want to cause panic, but he couldn’t help if he panicked himself. “He lost a lot of blood.”

Isis’ expression immediately twisted into a worried frown. Malik’s brother, Rishid, came running, too, sharing her worried look.

“I’ll carry him,” Rishid offered.

Gently, carefully, Ryou let go of Malik, sliding him off his horse and into Rishid’s strong arms. He didn’t stay to exchange words. He moved quickly and carried Malik off to the infirmary, leaving Ryou to watch his back. The only part of Malik he could see was his closed eyes and his shiny hair. Even when he was out cold, his hair still managed to glow in the sun.  
Ryou dismounted his horse, moving on to the second issue at hand; Bakura.

“Isis, we need to assemble the knights,” He said looking up at her, surprised she hadn’t already run off to follow her brothers. “There’s someone--Some _thing_ out there and-”

“Ryou,” Isis interrupted, placing a firm hand on Ryou’s shoulder. “You need to get out of here.”

Ryou’s mouth went dry.

“Wh-What?” He breathed, but he knew what she meant. All of a sudden he felt eyes on him. He heard the whispering, and he felt the glares.

He didn’t know what to do. Ryou didn’t know if he wanted to run away or if he wanted to curl up on the ground. He felt his lip quiver, but it stopped almost immediately. The issue of his identity was miniscule compared to the threat looming over the kingdom.

“I know, but listen,” Ryou gently took Isis’ hand off his shoulder and held it in his own, looking right into her lilac eyes. Once again, Malik crossed his mind. “Someone is coming for our kingdom. His name is Bakura. You won’t believe it when you see it, but we need to be ready. Evacuate the kingdom, get people in the castle, do-”

“There he is!”

Before Ryou could finish, he was seized by guards much bigger than him. Isis’ hand slipped out of his grip as his arms were pinned behind his back.

Ryou struggled in their grasp as they began to pull him away. Everything was happening so fast, but he still had so much to say. 

“Please, Isis!” He called out, looking over his shoulder as best he could. “Get the knights ready! Warn the kingdom!”

The door to the castle was slammed shut, cutting off their communication. Ryou squirmed in the guards’ grip, refusing to go up stairs and walk in pace with them. It was no use, though, and he was practically being dragged through the halls.

“You don’t understand,” He continued protesting, “Something is coming! We have to prepare! We have to get the people to safety!”

His shouting went unheard, though, and soon he was taken to doors he recognized seeing only a few days before, only in much different circumstances.

The king’s courtroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment if you'd like :-)
> 
> P.S. sorry about the cliffhanger.........

**Author's Note:**

> leave a nice comment if u wanna <3 Thank you for reading!


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